PAUL CARDEN believes Chester FC can capitalise on it’s inner strength.
The 33-year-old former Chester City midfielder, who helped steer the Blues to the Conference Premier title in 2004, has admired the battling qualities of the reformed club during it’s short existence.
And he admitted he has been proud to see the determination, commitment and desire of the people at the current club who are working tirelessly in a bid to see the club succeed.
He said: “Even now that the club is under a different name, there is still the same blood running through the club irrespective of what has happened in the past.
“It is still the one club as far as I am concerned and the lads who won the Conference title in 2004 feel that the club is still the same Chester that we played for.
“There are a few political names on the end of words, but it is fantastic to see the club getting some success and getting the glory that the fans have craved for and deserve.
“The Chester fans have been kicked between the legs a few times, but to keep bouncing back and sticking together through times of hardship shows what the supporters at Chester are all about now that the club is standing on it’s own feet and doing what it does best going forward.”
Liverpool-born Carden, who is currently a player coach at Luton Town, made 155 appearances during two spells with Chester City and underlined his delight about the Blues’ recent success.
“Back to back title victories is an unbelievable achievement for everybody involved at Chester,” he said.
“A few years ago I attended a dinner at Chester Racecourse and it was good to see plans for the club were going ahead.
“The number of people that were there on that night who were working behind the scenes to ensure that the club would be up and running was brilliant. Nobody can praise them enough for the work that has gone in to keep the club going.
“The fact that Chester have enjoyed success doesn’t surprise me to be honest because the club has had to deal with so many issues to achieve back to back promotions.
“There is plenty of passion from the Chester supporters who are all working seven days a week to make things happen at the club.
“It makes me proud to see Chester winning league titles again and striving to get themselves back to where they should be.”
Carden attended the recent Ciaran Geddes Memorial Match at the Exacta Stadium were he was joint manager for a team comprising of many former 2004 Chester City title-winning players.
He said: “I was always going to support the Ciaran Geddes Memorial Match because I was keen to help in any way I could after hearing about the youngster’s death.
“The occasion showed what the club has always been about after all the hardships that Chester has faced.
“Everyone always pulls together at Chester when things aren’t going so well and that will remain the case I feel forever and a day.
“It was lovely to go back to Chester and see everyone despite it being a sad occasion so I had mixed emotions, but hopefully the game really helped Ciaran’s family.”