SALFORD’S LIKELY LADS FIRED UP FOR NEW CHALLENGE
THIS may be a new beginning at Chester, a fresh start and a project that would be more satisfying, should it come off for them, than anything they have achieved before. But Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley, the joint-managers at the Deva Stadium, know there is an interest in their past. ‘Is this going to be about Salford?’ Johnson, known as Johnno, asks as we meet in the manager’s office before this fixture with Guiseley. And yes, there is old ground to cover. The two managers had recorded their third promotion in four seasons when they quit Salford City last May after winning the National League North. A new contract couldn’t be agreed but both felt their time there had come to a natural end. ‘It was time to move on,’ Morley adds. It is only now that they can fully appreciate how demanding the whole experience was. Asked whether the BBC’s documentary on Salford — Class of 92: Out of Their League — and the involvement of co-owners such as Gary Neville put an unfair spotlight on them, Johnson nods and replies: ‘Yes. The pressure we were under for the last three-anda-half years was unbelievable. ‘From minute one you realise that, “Oh, right, this is what it’s about”. You’ve got Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs standing over your shoulder.’ And that is without, as Morley says, being in a ‘lose, lose’ scenario because of the hefty budget at their disposal. By contrast, money is tight at Chester in the National League North. Sean McAllister, 31, a midfielder, formerly of Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby, signed ahead of this game. ‘What people won’t know is that he is playing for free today and he’ll only get 20p per mile for his fuel driving from Shrewsbury,’ says Morley. A bit different from the £4,000-a-week deal Adam Rooney signed for when he moved from Aberdeen to Salford last summer. It is all part of the challenge at Chester, who nearly went out of business last year before being relegated. ‘Everyone said, “Don’t touch Chester with a bargepole”,’ says Johnson. They are happy they did. Chester are fifth but should have done better than the 1-1 draw they managed here after the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Andy Halls was shown a red card for a two-footed challenge before half-time. That came after Kayode Odejayi had put Guiseley in front and it took Anthony Dudley’s header in the second half to level the game. But should Chester get promoted, it would mean more to Johnson and Morley than their three promotions with Salford. ‘If we win the league with Chester or get promoted with Chester it’s by far a superior achievement,’ says Morley. ‘100 per cent,’ adds Johnson.