1977–78 Chester F.C. season

Chester
1977–78 season
ManagerAlan Oakes
StadiumSealand Road
Football League
Third Division		5th
FA CupRound 2
Football League CupRound 1
Welsh CupRound 4
Top goalscorerLeague:
Paul Crossley (9)
All:
Paul Crossley (13)
Highest home attendance8,372 vs Bradford City (26 December)
Lowest home attendance2,467 vs Torquay United (21 September)
Average home league attendance3,959
21st in division[1]

The 1977–78 season was the 40th season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Chester, an English club based in Chester, Cheshire.

Also, it was the third season spent in the Third Division after the promotion from the Fourth Division in 1975. Alongside competing in the Football League the club also participated in the FA Cup, Football League Cup and the Welsh Cup.

Football League

Main article: 1977–78 Football League § Third Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
3 Preston North End 46 20 16 10 63 38 +25 56 Promoted
4 Peterborough United 46 20 16 10 47 33 +14 56
5 Chester 46 16 22 8 59 56 +3 54
6 Walsall 46 18 17 11 61 50 +11 53
7 Gillingham 46 15 20 11 67 60 +7 50
Source: rsssf.com

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 16 22 8 59 56  +3 54 14 8 1 41 24  +17 2 14 7 18 32  −14

Source: rsssf.com

Results by matchday

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
ResultWLDDWDDLDLDDDWLLWDWDWLDDDWDWLDDDDWDLDDWWDWWWWW
Position21071211118131213141618131718171615139131314141112111311111111999101097776555
Source: 11v11.com
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
20 August Hereford United H W 4–1 Kearney (2, 1pen), Ian Edwards, Mason 3,276
27 August Colchester United A L 0–2 4,169
2 September Cambridge United H D 0–0 3,794
10 September Bradford City A D 2–2 Crossley, Kearney 3,612
14 September Sheffield Wednesday H W 2–1 Ian Edwards, Crossley 4,520
17 September Gillingham H D 2–2 Storton, Phillips 3,367
20 September Carlisle United A D 0–0 4,941
24 September Oxford United A L 1–4 Kearney 4,283
28 September Wrexham H D 1–1 Delgado 9,514
30 September Tranmere Rovers A L 0–5 4,352
4 October Portsmouth A D 0–0 10,465
8 October Plymouth Argyle H D 1–1 Hall (o.g.) 3,367
15 October Rotherham United A D 1–1 Phillips 4,825
22 October Swindon Town H W 1–0 Storton 3,292
29 October Preston North End A L 1–2 Delgado 7,550
5 November Lincoln City A L 1–2 Phillips 4,270
12 November Port Vale H W 2–1 Ian Edwards, Jeffries 3,117
19 November Bury A D 1–1 Delgado 4,020
3 December Chesterfield H W 2–1 Storton, Livermore 2,803
10 December Peterborough United A D 0–0 5,844
26 December Shrewsbury Town H W 1–0 Crossley 5,701
27 December Walsall A L 0–3 4,990
31 December Lincoln City H D 2–2 Storton, Ian Edwards 3,322
2 January Exeter City A D 1–1 Crossley 6,193
14 January Hereford United A D 2–2 Ian Edwards, Jones 4,216
21 January Colchester United H W 2–1 Crossley (pen), Ian Edwards 2,855
28 January Cambridge United A D 0–0 4,542
4 February Bradford City H W 3–2 Livermore (2), Oakes 2,957
21 February Gillingham A L 0–1 7,863
25 February Tranmere Rovers H D 0–0 5,494
1 March Carlisle United H D 2–2 Phillips, Crossley 2,934
4 March Plymouth Argyle A D 2–2 Oakes, Mellor 5,322
7 March Sheffield Wednesday A D 1–1 Jones 10,678
11 March Rotherham United H W 2–1 Oakes, Crossley 3,421
17 March Swindon Town A D 1–1 Phillips 4,275
24 March Preston North End H L 1–2 Crossley 7,864
25 March Shrewsbury Town A D 0–0 2,592
27 March Walsall H D 1–1 Crossley (pen) 4,671
1 April Exeter City H W 2–1 Mellor, Phillips 1,996
3 April Wrexham A W 2–1 Howat, Mellor 19,125
8 April Port Vale A D 0–0 3,615
12 April Oxford United H W 3–1 Howat (2), Livermore 2,351
15 April Bury H W 1–0 Nickeas 3,377
22 April Chesterfield A W 2–1 Oakes, Phillips 3,753
26 April Portsmouth H W 2–0 Livermore (pen), Mellor 2,837
29 April Peterborough United H W 4–3 Howat, Mellor, Oakes, Turner (o.g.) 4,237

FA Cup

Main article: 1977–78 FA Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
First round 26 November Darlington (4) H W 4–1 Crossley (3), Kearney 3,330
Second round 17 December Carlisle United (3) A L 1–3 Crossley 5,577

League Cup

Main article: 1977–78 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
First round first leg 13 August Burnley (2) A L 0–2 4,736
First round second leg 17 August H W 1–0 Kearney 4,048

Welsh Cup

Main article: 1977–78 Welsh Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score Scorers Attendance
Fourth round 25 January Wrexham (3) H L 0–2 6,921

Season statistics

Nat Player Total League FA
Cup 		League
Cup 		Welsh
Cup
A G A G A G A G A G
Goalkeepers
Wales Brian Lloyd 39 – 36 – 2 – – – 1 –
Wales Grenville Millington 12 – 10 – – – 2 – – –
Field players
England David Burns 7+1 – 5+1 – – – 2 – – –
England Nigel Clutton 1 – 1 – – – – – – –
England Paul Crossley 34 13 31 9 2 4 – – 1 –
Wales Bob Delgado 46 3 41 3 2 – 2 – 1 –
Wales Ian Edwards 38 6 33 6 2 – 2 – 1 –
Wales Nigel Edwards 18 – 13 – 2 – 2 – 1 –
Wales Ian Howat 11+3 4 10+2 4 – – 0+1 – 1 –
England Derek Jeffries 26+2 1 23+2 1 1 – 2 – – –
Wales Brynley Jones 16+5 2 15+5 2 – – – – 1 –
Scotland Mike Kearney 26+1 6 22+1 4 2 1 2 1 – –
England Doug Livermore 34 5 32 5 2 – – – – –
England Stuart Mason 8+1 1 6+1 1 – – 2 – – –
England Ian Mellor 17 5 17 5 – – – – – –
England Mark Nickeas 18 1 18 1 – – – – – –
England Alan Oakes 48 5 44 5 1 – 2 – 1 –
England Ronnie Phillips 45 7 42 7 2 – – – 1 –
England Paul Raynor 35+1 – 34 – 0+1 – – – 1 –
England Trevor Storton 46 4 41 4 2 – 2 – 1 –
Jim Walker 36 – 32 – 2 – 2 – – –
Own goals – 2 – 2 – – – – – –
Total 51 65 46 59 2 5 2 1 1 0

References

  1. ^ "English attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 21 June 2016.

Sumner, Chas (1 November 2011). 125 Years on the Borderline: The Complete History of Chester City F.C. 1885-2010. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0956984821.

  • Chester at the Football Club History Database