Chester FC were formed in 2010 following the winding up of Chester City and the club’s expulsion from the Conference. Chester supporters formed a ‘phoenix club’. Chester FC were placed in the Northern Premier League, Division One North (Step Four). The club’s first competitive game was a 1-1 draw away at Warrington Town. At the end of 2010/11, Chester were promoted to the NPL Premier Division as champions, under manager, Neil Young, winning on goal difference from Skelmersdale United.
In 2011/12, Chester won their second successive promotion, finishing as champions, 17 points ahead of 2nd placed, Northwich, amassing 100 points on their way to Conference South.
In 2012/13, Chester won their third successive promotion, under Neil Young, winning the conference South title by an impressive 16 points from second placed, Guiseley to climb up to Conference National, just 3 years after Chester City had lost their Conference status.
Last season, 2013/14, Chester found the step up to Conference National a much trickier task. The club ended the season in 21st place after a dramatic last day of the season when Salisbury equalised at Chester and Hereford United won away at Aldershot to relegate Chester back to Conference North. However, Chester gained a reprieve from relegation following, ironically, Hereford’s expulsion from the Conference. Equally ironic was Salisbury being demoted to Conference South because of similar financial irregularities as those at Hereford and the fact that Chester City had suffered the same fate back in 2009.
Last season, Neil Young was dismissed as manager and Chester appointed Steve Burr who had recently left Kidderminster Harriers.
On the opening day of the season, the Bees travelled to Chester in the Conference, winning 5-0. Barnet and Chester have met each other 27 times, 18 times in the football league and 9 times in the Conference. Barnet have won 11 times, Chester 10 and 5 matches have been drawn.
The first time that the two clubs met was in December 1995 at the Deva Stadium in a 3rd division league match, which Barnet won 2-0 with goals from Sean Devine and Lee Hodges. In the return fixture at Underhill, in March, the two sides drew 1-1 with Micky Tomlinson scoring for Barnet.
The following season, 1996-97, Chester did the double over Barnet, winning 2-1 at the Deva with Jamie Campbell scoring for Barnet. A Campbell own goal gave Chester a 1-0 win at Underhill later in the season.
Barnet did the double over Chester in 1997-98. In 1998-99, the two sides drew 0-0 at Underhill and Chester won 3-0 at the Deva. The following season, 1999-2000, Barnet won 2-0 on the opening day of the season at the Deva with goals from Ken Charlery and Mark Arber. In the return at Underhill in December, Barnet were on the top of the table and completed the double over Chester winning 2-0 with goals from Darren Currie and Scott McGleish. At the end of the season, Chester were relegated to the Conference.
The following season, Barnet were relegated as well and in 2001-02 the two sides met for the first time in the Nationwide Conference. Goals from Ben Strevens, Neil Midgely and Mark Gower gave the Bees a 3-1 win at Underhill in September, but Chester won the return match 1-0 in January. Lee Flynn was sent off in that game. In 2002-03, Chester won comfortably early in the season at Underhill, the game ending 3-0 to the visitors with Barnet having Leon Bell sent off. In the match at the Deva, the two sides drew 1-1 in front of the SKY TV cameras, Greg Heald scoring for Barnet.
In the 2003-04 season both sides were competing at the top of the table for the chance to go back into the football league. In the end it was Chester who won the title, while Barnet lost in the play-offs to Shrewsbury. Chester on a closely fought match at the Deva in November with a terrific strike from Alex Smith on the verge of half time and that was enough to in the match. In the second half, Barnet had a Grazioli goal disallowed and had two good penalty claims turned down but the match ended 1-0 to Chester. The Barnet side that day was, Gore; Hendon, Plummer, Maddix, King; Yakubu, Gamble, Strevens, Hatch (Williams); Grazioli, Beadle (Roache). In the return at Underhill, in March the two sides drew 0-0. The match was notable as the only game played under the caretaker management of Adrian Whitbread following the shock resignation of Martin Allen who had become the new manager of Brentford. Whitbread, and physiotherapist, Damien Doyle, resigned after the game to follow Allen to Brentford.
The following season, Barnet were champions of the Conference and in 2005-06 fixtures between the two sides resumed. Chester won 3-1 at Underhill in October with Barnet in the middle of a terrible run that saw them take only 5 points from 11 matches. Grazioli scored the Barnet goal. In the return at the Deva in April, Barnet were desperate for points to avoid an early return to the Conference and gave a strong performance and were a bit unlucky to only go home with a point. Barry Fuller had a shot cleared off the line and Barnet had a good claim for a penalty when Liam Hatch appeared to be pulled down inside the area but the match ended 0-0. At the end of the season, Barnet ended 18th and were thus safe from relegation.
In 2006/07, a Dean Sinclair penalty was enough to give Barnet all three points at Underhill in October with Nicky Bailey missing another penalty. The three points were enough to move Barnet away from the relegation area. Prior to the match, Barnet had only been above the relegation zone on goal difference and had taken just 3 points from their previous 6 games. The win sparked off a run that saw the Bees take 22 points from their next 10 matches and renewed hopes of a play-off place.
By the time the two sides met at the Deva, both sides looked set for mid table safety, though both needed points to be sure of safety. A totally inept second half performance by Barnet saw a poor Chester side win comfortably 2-0 with the Barnet side being booed off at the end. Barnet finished the season in 14th place.
In 2008/09, Chester were looking a good bet for the play-offs when the two sides met at The Deva in December. Barnet were in 12th place. Barnet played well but went down 3-0 to Chester with Richie Partridge and Kevin Ellison (2) getting the goals for the home side.
By the time the two sides met at Underhill in March, Barnet were struggling having only won once in 9 games, while Chester had slumped to 18th with a terrible run, having only taken 12 points since that meeting with the Bees earlier in the season. Barnet were 20th.
However a fine 3-1 win lifted everyone at the club. An opportunist goal from Albert Adomah put the Bees ahead and two more goals for a resurgent Cliff Akurang, the first a penalty after he had been brought down by the goalkeeper and the second a fine header from an Adomah cross, won the points for Barnet. The Barnet side that day was, Harrison; Parkes, Yakubu, Devera, Gillet (Carew 85); Adomah (St. Amie 84), Bishop, Wright (Leary 87), Nicolau; Thomas, Akurang.
Barnet went on to finish 12th, their first top half of the table finish since the club was promoted back to the league in 2005. Chester finished 22nd, just one place off relegation.
Earlier in season, 2008/09, the two clubs met at the Deva and Chester ran out very comfortable winners by 5-1. It was an unhappy debut for Barnet’s French central defender, Jeremy de Magalhaes. Cliff Akurang scored the Barnet goal.
In the return at Underhill, the Bees won 3-1 with to goals from John O'Flynn and the other coming from Paul Furlong. At the end of the season Chester were relegated.
in the opening game of last season, Barnet beat Chester in the first ever competitive match at the Hive, winning 3-0 with two goals from Jake Hyde and one from Luke Gambin, who opened the scoring and thus scored the first ever competitive goal at the new Bees' stadium.
In the return fixture at the Deva Stadium, Chester won 2-1 with Jake Hyde scoring for the Bees.
A few players have played for both Barnet and Chester. These include:
Ross Davidson joined Chester from Sheffield United in 1996, initially on loan and made 133 league appearances for them, scoring 5 goals. He moved to Barnet in 1999 and made 8 league starts plus another 1 appearance as a substitute for the Bees. He moved to ShrewsburyTown in 2000.
Julian Alsford joined Chester in 1994 from Watford and made 141 league appearances for Chester, scoring 7 goals. He joined Dundee United in 1998 and while there, he had a loan spell at Underhill, making 9 league appearances and scoring 1 goal. He re-joined Chester in 1999 and made another 11 league appearances for them scoring 1 goal.
Mark Hughes joined Chester in the summer of 2007 after leaving Stevenage Borough and 64 league appearances plus another 5 as a substitute, scoring 4 goals. He joined Barnet in the 2009 January transfer window for the rest of the season. Hughes became Bees' captain and scored the goal, at Burton, that saved Barnet from relegation in 2012. He joined Eastleigh that summer.