Chester FC: Neil Young’s men to face 2004 Conference winners in Ciaran Geddes benefit match

Apr 26 2012 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

TITLE-WINNING Chester teams past and present will go head-to-head at the Exacta Stadium in a special benefit match in memory of a young Blues fan.

Neil Young’s newly crowned champions will take on members of the Chester City side which won the Conference in 2004 – including captain Paul Carden and top scorer Daryl Clare – on Sunday, May 13 (noon kick-off)

Proceeds from the clash will be donated to a charity decided by the family of Ciaran Geddes, the seven-old-year Chester FC supporter who tragically died last week.

Chester FC director Jeff Banks said: “The support the players have for the game is brilliant and they are fully behind the idea.

“I’d hope people would come down to the ground, anyway, given the sad reason behind the game, but hopefully even more people will be encouraged to attend as it’s not often you get a champions versus champions match.”

Wayne Brown, Phil Bolland, Michael Twiss, Jamie Heard, Kevin McIntyre and Carl Ruffer are expected to take their place alongside Carden and Clare in the select XI.

Banks also hopes Ben Davies, now starring for Derby in the Championship, will also be able to line up alongside his fellow Conference heroes.

Chester FC boss Young, whose team received the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division trophy on Saturday, said: “It will be great for the fans to see the team that won the Conference title once again.

“The match ticks all the boxes – it’s all going to a good cause and hopefully we will get a big crowd.”

Chester FC paid their respects to Ciaran at Saturday’s final game of the season at home to Marine by wearing tops bearing his picture and holding a minute’s applause before kick-off.

Banks said: “We want to support the family as much as possible and I think they appreciated what we did on Saturday.

“I spoke to Ciaran’s grandad and his words were, ‘this shows Chester are not just a club, but a family’. As a family we want to continue to show our support and what better way than a benefit match?”

Admission for the match will be £5 for adults and £1 for children.