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Chester City fans fear Tranmere merger

Rupert Metcalf
Friday 08 November 2002 01:00 GMT
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Chester City fans have been alarmed by reports suggesting that a merger between their club and Tranmere Rovers is being planned. Stephen Vaughan, Chester's chairman, has denied trying to merge the two clubs – but he has made a bid to buy Tranmere.

Vaughan, a Liverpool-based boxing promoter, bought the Nationwide Conference club Chester just over a year ago. He has funded the rebuilding of the squad by the manager Mark Wright, whose side are pushing hard for a promotion place.

Now, though, the Chester chairman is trying to take over Tranmere. The hard-up Second Division outfit were put up for sale for more than £5m in the summer, and Vaughan appears to be the only serious bidder.

If his bid is successful, Vaughan intends to build a new stadium for Rovers on the Wirral. This will be funded by the sale of Tranmere's Prenton Park home and the club's training ground. While construction work is under way, Tranmere would play their home games at Chester's Deva stadium.

Vaughan, who was attending a public meeting in Chester last night to try to placate anxious City fans, has refused to reveal further details of his plans until he finds out the fate of his bid for Tranmere. He has, however, insisted that: "I will remain as major shareholder of Chester City." Vaughan added: "I have spoken about ground-sharing but I have not mentioned mergers to any member of the press and it's disturbing that reports came out this way."

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