Chester v Darlington

Saturday 7th March 2026, 3pm
Enterprise National League North

 

Chester FC: Swansway Chester Stadium, Bumpers Lane, Chester CH1 4LT Tel: 01244 371376; Tweet: @ChesterFC Club website information History: The original club was formed in 1885, elected from Cheshire County League to League Div 3N, 1931. Added City to name 1983, left Sealand Rd ground 1990. Relegated to Conference 2000, promoted 2003-2004. The old City club folded in 2010 after a period of financial problems and the usual story of dodgy ownership, we're familiar with. It was reformed by the City Fans United trust. They earned a place in the Northern Premier League Division One North to start with. Their previous season in the Conference North broke quite a few records, as they notched up 107 points in 2012/13. Their first season in National League North after relegation saw a 9th place finish before making the play-offs. Last season ended in play-off heartache after a strong finish. Connell Rawlinson replaced Calum McIntyre at the end of February and he takes charge as interim manager for Darlington's visit. Record Attendance: 20,500 v Chelsea FA Cup replay, 1952 Capacity: 5,376 (4,170 seats) Last season: 4th (play-offs) Honours: Old club: Conference champions 2003/2004. New club: Conference North champions: 2012–13; Northern Premier League Prem Div champions: 2011–12, Div 1 N champions: 2010–11 Record victory: 12-0 v York City, Div 3 N, 1 Feb 1936 Defeat: 2-11, Oldham Ath, Div3 N 19 January 1952 Nicknames: Blues Colours: Blue and White Manager: Connell Rawlinson Chair: Kieron Shiel Click here for streetmap of the Chester's ground Admission prices (2025/26) Last season away fans used the Swettenham Chemists’ Community West Stand. Prices there are Adult £19, £18 in advance; concessions (OAPs/students) £17 - £16 in advance; ages 18-21 £13, £12 advance; ages 12 to 17 £6 (£5 adv) and Under 12s £3 or £1 in advance. You can buy them online here or use cards or Google/Apple Pay at the turnstile. Cash is not accepted.	Distance from Darlington 2hr 29 minutes (152 miles) From the North: Take the M56 until Junction 16, the end of the motorway, and turn left at the roundabout (signs A5117, North Wales and Queensferry). After half a mile, take a left at the Little Chef roundabout onto the A540 (signposted Chester). Another 3.5 miles, take the third exit on the roundabout (signposted Queensferry A5480) onto the Deva Link road. Straight ahead at the next roundabout and by Stokers Furniture/Tesco go across the crossroads into Bumpers Lane - the ground is on the right. Parking: The club car park costs £2. Darlington FC Supporters' Club Coach Contact: Darlington FC Supporters Group, call 07376 368 553 to book a seat. Details of the supporters' group travel can be found here. Departure 10am, adult member £25, non-member £28, junior member £12, non-member £14. Worth noting these, as it's a long walk. If booking taxis for after the game, arrange a pick-up away from the ground, near Sealand Road, outside one of the retailers as a landmark. Chester Private Hire: 01244 344344 Abbey Taxis: 01244 311804 Chester Radio Taxis: 01244 372372 KingKabs: 01244 343434 (NB: Don't do pick-ups after the game)	Trains: The stadium is a 2.5m walk from the station, right in the middle of a vast retail park. If you really want to walk - turn right into Station Road, follow the road left and between the Egerton Arms and Railway Inn. At the end of the street, take the underpass, taking the first exit signposted to Frodsham Street. Turn right before the bridge into Gorse Stacks, across the crossroads into Canal Street. Under the dual carriageway and at the junction, turn left (The Telford's Warehouse - DAFTS recommended pub is here on the right) and over the canal. Take a right fork into South View Road. Then at the T-junction turn right into Sealand Road. After half a mile turn left (Aldi store is on the corner) into Bumpers Lane. Walk right down to the end of the road, past various tile showrooms and a recycling depot and the ground is on the right. Buses run from the City Centre Bus Exchange (bus station), and you will need to catch the No 10A which bypasses Bumpers Lane and drops off and picks up in Sealand Road (nr Tesco). You will then need to walk up Bumpers Lane (0.5m) to the football ground. Timetable The official site is good with some useful travel information.
At the ground: The Blues Bar at the front of the main stand is open to away fans, depending on the fixture. It has food including pies and sandwiches. City centre: The Deva Tap, 121 Brook St, Chester CH1 3DU Craft beer pub with a decent choice, close to the railway station. Also serves burgers/chicken. Open from 12pm. Albion Inn, 2-4 Albion Street/Park Street, Chester, CH1 1RN Traditional pub, good beers and food, with distinctive WW1 memoranbilia, close to the town wall. Telford's Warehouse, South View Road/Tower Wharf Right in the city's canal basin and on the way to the ground, this spacious and airy pub is a nice spot, serving three or four real ales at £2.50 a pint and good food (main meals range from £6-£14, not your usual pre-match grub but worth a treat - I think I had a rabbit pie). The pub also has a canalside beer garden and small carpark and is a 20-25 minute walk to the stadium. DAFTS recommended. Click for street map The Brewery Tap, 52-54 Gamul House, Lower Bridge Street Real ale pub in historic building, owned by the award-winning Spitting Feathers brewery. It serves its own ales, naturally, such as like Old Wavertonian and Devastation. Also serves food, with fresh ingredients supplied from the farm, where the brewery is based. The building was part of a townhouse, where King Charles I stayed after the Civil War battle of Rowton Moor.
Watergate Inn, 10 Watergate Square, off Sealand Road Pub near the racecourse. Click for streetmap Mill Hotel, Milton Street A dark real ale lounge bar inside a canalside hotel, with more than a dozen guest ales (a few were off on our visit but this is a minor quibble, as there were still plenty of choice and they were very reasonably priced). Despite looking out onto the canal, there is no terrace or beer garden, but inside it does Sky TV, plus food. Not far from the station, less than 10 minutes walk - turn right onto the towpath at the canal bridge and it's a short walk. Rooms at the hotel cost between £73-£95 a night, single/double B&B: 01244-350035 Click for streetmap There is also an away fans' pub crawl suggested by some real ale buffs.	To eat, apart from the suggested pubs, there is also a fish and chip shop on Sealand Road on the way to the Watergate Inn.