FOYLE WANTS WREXHAM WIN AT CHESTER
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

MARTIN FOYLE believes Sunday's derby against Chester City is an ideal opportunity for Wrexham to get back to winning ways.

Wrexham make the trip across the border having been beaten just once in their previous eight matches, but the Reds, six points away from safety, have not picked up a victory in the last four outings.

Arch rivals Chester sacked manager Bobby Williamson on Sunday having only won once in 14 matches - they followed that up with a 1-0 defeat at Darlington last night - and Wrexham first team coach Foyle said the Reds are targeting victory in their battle to avoid relegation.

"Chester's manager has been sacked but that can have an effect, and you never know what formation the new man may go with," said Foyle.

"But Chester are there for the taking.

"They are not on a particularly good run so it is an ideal game for us to try to get back to winning ways.

"There is no better place to start than in a derby, but we have to stay focussed and keep doing what we've been doing.

"We will have good support after selling our allocation, it is just a shame we could not take more fans."

Wrexham operated with a three-man attack in Saturday's 1-1 home draw against fellow strugglers Mansfield Town with Reds' scorer Michael Proctor, Drewe Broughton and Chris Llewellyn leading the front line.

Admitting that Wrexham had not been at their best, Foyle said Wrexham have been working on their attacking play.

"I thought that for the first time on Saturday we looked a bit nervous and we have to take that away," added Foyle.

"We have been working hard on our play in the final third which we feel is important.

"We've been trying to rotate the front three more rather than having a static man up there.

"Our mentality is to pass the ball more and get players involved, and players into the final third."


POLICE PREPARED FOR CHESTER v WREXHAM CLASH
David Holmes - Chester Chronicle

POLICE are well prepared in anticipation of a possible trouble when Chester City play Wrexham at the Deva Stadium on Sunday.

Officers will be in force in the city centre and at the ground in a bid to deter the minority hooligan element attached to each club.

One concern is that only 1,400 tickets have been allocated to Wrexham who have 1,600 season tickets holders leading to chat on websites that some will buy tickets in the Chester end with the potential for conflict.

Police are hoping for a draw so that nobody loses face in the local Derby, although Wrexham will be desperate for a win as they seek to avoid relegation from league two.

The game takes place at noon to deter fans from getting drunk before the game and through Pub Watch licensed premises have been asked not to open until midday at the earliest, likewise off licences and supermarkets won't be serving alcohol before then.


PHIL BOLLAND KEEN TO HEAR WREXHAM SUPPORT AT CHESTER
Wrexham Evening Leader

PHIL BOLLAND is looking forward to playing at a packed Deva Stadium on Sunday - and this time having the Wrexham supporters in his corner.

Centre-back Bolland joined the Reds during the January transfer window, in a deal that runs until the end of the season, after being told he was surplus to requirements at arch rivals Chester.

The 31-year-old spent six years - covering two spells - at The Deva, only separated by a brief stint with Peterborough, and faced Wrexham in derby clashes during his time with the Blues.

And having seen the passion shown by the travelling Wrexham fans in past encounters, Bolland can't wait to line up for the Reds in Sunday's noon showdown.

"I've played in derbies before and Wrexham always bring a lot of fans with them, and have been very loud," said Bolland today.

"The Deva is a small ground and when it is packed, it is a good atmosphere. Hopefully the lads will rise to the occasion.

"When I was at Chester, they were quite intimidating. In an LDV Vans Trophy match, they kept getting behind Wrexham and inspired them to win, and the victory for Wrexham in last season's league match was emphatic.

"When we were losing 2-0, the Wrexham fans just kept singing.

"It will be good to be on the other side and experience those fans behind me, and hopefully Wrexham get the same result."

Bolland helped Chester win promotion back to the Football League in 2004 and also captained the Blues for whom he made 165 league appearances.

Although he was limited to just two starts this term before being frozen out by manager then Bobby Williamson, Bolland has no axe to grind with Chester.

But Bolland is gunning for victory to help Wrexham in their bid to reach League Two safety.

"I've got nothing against the club because I did well for Chester and helped them get back into the Football League as champions of the Conference which was a great season," said Bolland.

"But after that managers came and went, and we never really had a settled side.

"I had six good years at Chester but it was time to move on. A new manager came in and he had his own ideas.

"Wrexham are my club now and in football you can't look back at any age.

"We have to win games, that is what we are going out to do, and hopefully I can look forward to a big future with Wrexham."

Due to suspension or injury, Bolland has never faced Chester at the Deva Stadium for any other club during his career.

Uncertain of the reception he will receive from Blues fans, Bolland is just focussed on the job in hand, and said he was really looking forward to the game: "I've never actually played for another team at Chester's ground before so it will be strange

"I was popular with the fans but you never know what they will be like on Sunday. I would like a good reception, but even if it is a bad one it will inspire me either way. Once it kicks off you just get on what the job, and we know what we've got to do."

Rock bottom Wrexham go into the derby six points adrift of safety but with games in hand on the four sides above them.

With nearly a third of the season remaining, Bolland, who has made eight league appearances since moving across the border, said Wrexham should have enough talent in their squad to avoid relegation.

"They are all clichés but you do have to take it a game at a time," said Bolland.

"People said Mansfield was a must-win game last Saturday and we got a point, but that match is gone now.

"There are 14 games to go and we just have to get as many points as possible.

"With the squad we have, we should pick up more than enough points."

Chester, who lost 1-0 at Darlington last night, are 17th in the table and not out of trouble yet.

Having played three more games than Wrexham, Chester have a 14 point advantage over the Reds and Bolland admitted his former club have still got work to do in their bid to ensure safety.

"Chester have had mixed fortunes this the season and the manager has gone, though they might have a new one in place for Sunday," added Bolland.

"They are not out of trouble yet and there are still a lot of points to pick up so you have to be on your toes at all times.

"It will go down to the last few matches. We just have to make sure that by the last few matches, we are still in the Football League. That is all that matters."


WREXHAM NOT FOR SALE - AT THE MOMENT
Mark Currie - Daily Post

WREXHAM director Geoff Moss has dismissed speculation that a change of ownership at the Racecourse is imminent.

Moss, who with co-owner Neville Dickens brought the struggling League Two outfit out of administration in the summer of 2006, poured cold water on suggestions that the partnership was about to be broken by the injection of fresh capital from a third party.

But he admitted that both he and Dickens had always been open about their intention to act merely as temporary guardians of the club and would always be willing to consider the sale of their interests.

"There's nothing in these latest rumours," said Moss. "But we have always made it clear that if there was the right offer from the right people we would happily step aside as long as any deal was in the best long term interests of the club.

"We have had one or two approaches over the last 18 months, but we didn't feel any of those were right.

"Of course we are always looking for investment, but until someone presents themselves, we will continue to run the club."

With Wrexham engaged in an on-field battle for the second season running to preserve their Football League status, Moss confessed that the optimism which followed the 2006 takeover had taken a battering.

"If there's anyone out there who can do better than us, we'd be delighted to hear from them," he added.

"It (the takeover) has been a failure in respect of the football side of things and we are at a loss to know what else we can do."

Dickens and Moss parted company with then manager Denis Smith in January last year and, although his replacement Brian Carey kept the Dragons in the league last May, he paid the price for a poor start to the current campaign and stepped down in November when Brian Little was appointed.

"We believe that Brian Little is the right man for the job and I don't think there is any doubt that he now has got the team playing the right way," said Moss. "But the progress is not being reflected as quickly as anyone would like and we could really do with winning a few games now."

The Chester-based businessman saluted Wrexham fans for their support after Saturday's basement battle with Mansfield Town - a 1-1 draw - attracted the fourth highest attendance in the division and was the third Racecourse crowd in the space of eight days to top 4,000.

"I can only thank the supporters for once again turning up in large numbers to back the team," he said.

"The clubs battling with us at the bottom of the table do well to break even 2,000.

"I'm only sorry we didn't give our fans a great deal more to shout about as our recent run of only one defeat in seven has given everyone a lift, but we all know how important wins are to our cause."