BROTHERS IN ARMS – FOR NOW AT LEAST!
ROSS HANNAH has had some tricky decisions to make this summer. Not just who he should sign for. That’s been fairly easy for the striker ever since it became apparent he wasn’t in the plans of boss Paul Cox at Barrow and former club Chester wanted him.
Wrexham courted him too, but the 31-year-old chose to return to the Blue side of the border where he scored 26 goals two seasons ago.
But the other thing on his mind is the best man’s speech he’s got to write for FC Halifax Town midfielder Liam King. The pair go back to their Matlock Town days where they spent three seasons so he no doubt has a few stories up his sleeve.
Stag-do
And, fortunately for Hannah, he knows the bride well too – it’s his sister Jessica!
“It was weird because he was acting a bit quiet,” says Hannah, recalling when King first started dating his sister. “Everyone knew about it, my missus and my mum, but he texted me and said, ‘Do you mind if I take your sister out to the pictures and for some food?’ I said, ‘Well, yeah – she’s old enough’.
“Really I was thinking, ‘Is this true?’ And, ‘If you mess her about…’ But, no, even when he was single he wasn’t an idiot. He’s a good lad.
“I’ve been waiting until after the stag-do to write the speech. I know where I’m going with some parts, I’ve run it through my head loads of times, it’s just getting it written down.”
One thing he has put pen to paper on is a two-year deal at Chester. The former Bradford City and Grimsby man won’t need any introduction to the Deva faithful where, despite playing just one season, he became a fans’ favourite.
Many of the players he played with, before spending last season at Barrow, are still in the building.
Even if, in the case of new player-assistant Tom Shaw, their roles have changed.
“I spoke to him before I re-signed and he said, ‘You can’t call me mate anymore if you come back!’ Hannah says.
“Tom’s a very good coach, I’ve seen him, and he’s well thought of at Derby where he’s coaching as well. We spoke at length when we were together at Chester before and he knows the game – you know what it’s like when you’re chatting about footy.
“If he can get that balance between laughing and joking and being serious – which I know he will – he’ll be alright.”
Hannah is also looking forward to working with manager Jon McCarthy, who was assistant to Steve Burr when he was previously at the Blues.
“I only had the last four games at Chester under him when he took over as caretaker but I could see from what he was implementing then that he’s going to have a good career as a manager,” Hannah says. “I really believe that.
“He works really hard. I spoke to some of the lads last season after I’d left and the detail he gives the players is brilliant. Again, he knows the game. He’s played international football. But he’s also a good honest guy, a good footballing bloke, and I’m looking forward to repaying his and the club’s faith in getting me back there.”
Frustration
Hannah’s scoring record over the years suggests he will score goals if he gets the game-time and chances. He doesn’t regret moving to Barrow last summer, but it’s not much of a stretch to understand frustration at ultimately playing a bit-part for the Bluebirds.
Now, wedding aside, the big match he will really look forward to is when Chester take on FC Halifax – King’s club.
“We’ve only played against each other when I went to Bradford and we played a friendly against Matlock, then when I was at Grimsby and we played Ferriby in a friendly,” he says.
“This will be the first season we play against each other in a competitive match. We probably won’t be near each other on the pitch anyway. Not now he thinks he’s forward because he gets in double figures!” And maybe not after Hannah’s speech!