By Chris Thompson
April 7 2005

Yes, Ian Rush really did walk out on the club yesterday, or two days ago as it probably is by now. The important thing is, what’s happened between now and then… …Well, a bit. Enough for me to write about anyway. I’ve only just seen yesterday morning’s Chester Evening Leader, and it is expected that former boss Graham Barrow, presently of Bury, will apply, along with Shrewsbury boss Gary Peters, Jan Molby, formerly of Kidderminster, and I’m not sure where their sources are, but they too have reason to believe that Mark Wright is expected to apply.
To be honest, contrary to what I’ve said in the past, it would make sense for Wrighty to try and get in on the Chester job again. He’s been that unsuccessful so far as getting a new managerial job goes since he walked out after a bust-up with the chairman on the eve of the new season, that he’ll be desperate to reapply himself to a football club, and surely he wouldn’t be that stupid to repeat all the idiotic things that he did behind the success which he brought to the club last season.
If he came, he’d probably bring the club that success once again, as everyone had anticipated he would do before he exited, especially given time and money over the summer.
Fortunately for Chairman Stephen Vaughan, he has the final say about whether the club reinstates Mark Wright. It’ll be a tug-of-war inside his head, whether wants success, or risk another embarrassing, and very public bust-up, but as I believe, they are still good friends behind the scenes, and that may bode well for the former England man.
He lies as the best candidate in front of the others, but I would also expect John Aldridge to apply in the near future.

Last night, Stephen Vaughan admitted he was in no hurry to appoint a predecessor. Chester lie 9 points above the relegation zone, with 5 more games left of the current season. It means that Chester may only require a win on Saturday to unofficially secure them of another season playing league football, providing Kidderminster lose, with a goal difference 13 goals worse off than City, and Cambridge, presently bottom, doomed for non-league football next year.
"I have already had applications for the job, but I don't intend to rush into making an appointment," said Vaughan. "I would rather not divulge at this stage which people have contacted us, but a number of them are household names.

"I hold my hands up and admit that I made a mistake last time [in appointing Ian Rush], but this new appointment must be the correct one."

Having had the experience of employing an inexperienced manager, at club level in particular, with no experience in this league, or the close leagues, it is unlikely Vaughan will gamble again. Somebody needs to come who knows what it’s all about down here. Unfortunately, that wasn’t Ian Rush. Even in his days of playing football, transfers fared around £500, 000, and Chester simply don’t have that kind of money, or the kind of talent available to them that Rush lived his illustrious career amongst.

But Stephen Vaughan was there to remind City fans that there is a game in just 2 days time, and he was desperate to close this chapter, (another interesting one in Chester’s history) and urged everyone to turn out, and cheer on the team in Saturday’s encounter against Boston United, where a clause in Daryl Clare’s contract means he won’t be turning out against his former club.
“Now is the time for all the City fans to get behind the club,” said Vaughan. “This is a crucial time in Chester City's season, we need five more points to ensure survival, and our supporters can play a big part by coming along and giving their full backing.”

Technical co-ordinator David Bell and his assistant Clive Goodyear, who is the club’s physiotherapist, will take charge of the club for the foreseeable short-term on a caretaker basis. Bell was looking forward to the challenge of resuming first team duties from the departed Ian Rush ahead of the weekend’s game.
“Hopefully we can continue his work and get a win on Saturday that will go a long way to guaranteeing our Football League status, which is the most important thing,".

When asked about his long-term future, and the possibility of taking the job full time, he replied,
“Whenever you are in the position that myself and Clive are in, you have to take it on a day to day basis and you can't afford to look too far ahead. Lots of very experienced managers will want the job and we're just very honoured and grateful to be given this opportunity."
The duo can understandably be happy. They have started at a time better than they could have ever have wished for if they do in fact have plans to coach at the club long-term. The duo have 5 games to impress, and with the club practically secured of league football, at least they can forget about that one more or less, particularly if they win at the weekend

Meanwhile, as reported on Donny.net, a deal for Gregg Blundell IS still on the cards, despite Chester’s interest in the striker stemming his from the departed Ian Rush and Mark Aizlewood. However, a deal to bring midfielder Joe Doolan to the club, also from Doncaster, looks highly unlikely after he decided against dropping down a league, and chose at last to extend his spell with the club for another year-short of what he had hoped for.
Chester’s interest in Paul Harrison is likely to pursue, with the Liverpool goalkeeper a firm favourite in the mind of Stephen Vaughan, as well as to Ian Rush.
Deals involving Andy Parkinson from Grimbsy, and Gary Jones from Tranmere hang in the lingo, and it’s too difficult to comment on whether the quadruple of loanees at the club have a future in Chester.

And finally, good luck to Ian Rush, as he announced yesterday that he would be in search of a new job ‘sooner than later.’ I’m sure it’ll be to see him back, and no doubt much better off for his turbulent experience with Chester.