BOARD MEMBERS

COLIN MANSLEY was born 1956 within the City walls. Grew up in Upton from where used to walk to Sealand Rd from the late '60s onwards. Currently a City Exile. Church of England clergyman on western outskirts of Birmingham. Founder member of ISA. Editor of the increasingly occasional fanzine Hello Albert.

PAULINE MEAKINS is also chair of the Chester City Exiles. She is keen to ensure that communication links between the Trust and the Exiles are maintained for the benefit of the Chester City Diaspora worldwide.

Whilst Pauline accepts that she may not live in Chester she feels that her employment experience in the field of PR will be of benefit to the board and its activities.

It is obvious that a 'small' club like Chester is always going to find it tough to make ends meet financially but a strong and active Supporters Trust that works with all the supporters of Chester City can work together to ensure that the club is kept on a sound financial footing. Also the most successful Trusts work closely with the Board of Directors of the Club and I think it is important to keep that good relationship going with the Chairman. However, the Trust has to keep an open mind and owners do not last for ever and now is a vital time to build up a very strong Chester City Supporters Trust so that we have a good basis to ensure the club survives any more crises. Similarly I think the Trust could play an important role in the Community both with the Council and also in supporting football in the community both and I would like the Trust to make those links and support stronger

TOM JONES is not the Welsh pop idol but our very own Tom Jones!

Tom is employed in a managerial capacity at a local painting and decorating business. He has contacts in the local business community and was invited to join the board as a co-opted member in September 2006 and was elected formally at the 2007 AGM.

PAUL REID has followed Chester City through thick and thin for over 30 years, he realises that football clubs below the Premiership are in danger due to finances. Paul works in food retail.

He views the immediate objectives for the Trust’’ as being:

  1. To encourage youth and community programmes by re-introduction of the Football in the community programme at the football club.
  2. To work to have the football club become a true community focused club in the city by exploitation of links with the local business community and bringing about schemes like Junior Blues (in association with CCFC) to develop fans for the future.
  3. Paul is keen to ensure that the Trust own image is improved by looking at how it handles its communication processes and fundraising activities.

Paul is the current Trust Board Chair and has bags of ideas to drive through.

ADRIAN WILLIAMSON began supporting Chester City when he was a lad and his dad’s job brought him to the area., Adrian describes this as "the start of a 20 year love affair", which saw him continue to support the club during the exile years in Macc which helped him practice his driving!

Adrian’s education and career took him away from Chester and to Hull, Leeds, Newcastle and Oxford. He was unable to attend the games at the time and watched in despair as events unfolded on the 6 May 2000 when Chester City dropped out of the Football League. This spurred Adrian on to get behind the club he loves and he then attended almost all Nationwide Conference games before promotion.

At present, Adrian has an issue with the managerial appointment at the club and this has left him disillusioned but on the flip side it has not diluted his enthusiasm to get involved with the Supporters Trust as he believes that this is the only sustainable way for the club to continue and allowing Adrian (and the rest of us!) to continue our love affair with the club for the next 20 years and beyond.

Adrian is the Trust Secretary.

DI FOULKES
, is a newer supporter however she is a committed blue who wishes to help us. Di became elected to the board at the 2007 AGM. KEVIN WILDING was co-opted to the board after a period away in October 2008.

Former Chair, CAMPBELL SMITH is our Treasurer, after a brief spell off the board, he was co-opted back and was formerly elected back in April 2008.