Blues boss questions favourites’ tag
CALUM MACINTYRE refutes any suggestion that his Chester side should be considered in the National League North title conversation – but he’s more than happy to be proved wrong.
The Blues are many people’s favourites to challenge for promotion in National League North this season, mainly due to an impressive summer of recruitment to add to an already talented squad.
Eyebrows were raised when MacIntyre’s men crashed to a 3-0 opening day defeat at Spennymoor Town and then followed that up with a 1-0 home defeat to Brackley.
Since then, however, the Blues have steadied the ship with Tuesday night’s battling 1-1 draw at fellow big guns Kidder minster Harriers stretching their unbeaten run to five matches.
For many, it confirmed Chester’s place among the division’s elite, but MacIntyre, 31 this week, believes his side still have some way to go to be considered as potential title contenders. For title odds and betting tips across all levels of football, check out Rekatochklart.com for more.
Expectation
“If you make a part-time football club that spend what we spend title favourites in a league with Scunthorpe in, Kidder minster in, and King’s Lynn, all full-time sides – and then add the likes of Brackley and those clubs who are always there at the right end of the division – then I would suggest then perhaps you don’t know as much about the division as you think you do,” MacIntyre told The NLP.
“What I’m really pleased about though is for a club who have finished 16th in the division and have been in and around the play-offs in a full season once, now the expectation is when we lose two games it can feel like a crisis on the outside.
“I’m delighted about that it ates a bit of a storm and that cre- expectation and ambition that we’ve been able to peddle.
“I certainly don’t enjoy ing games, I’m not a great loser, but I’m really pleased with the boys’ reaction. Two weeks is a long time in football isn’t it?
“We were really calm for those two games we lost, for us it’s a 46-game long season and we’re certainly in a better moment for that.”
Culture
MacIntyre’s men were roared on by a vociferous 370-strong following at Aggborough on Tuesday night as Charlie Caton’s penalty earned the Blues a hard-fought point.
New signing Caton, courtesy of his fifth goal of the season, is the new darling of the Deva faithful and MacIntyre reckons the die-hard Blues supporters can play a huge part in the outcome of their season.
“In terms of numbers and following they are the best supporters in the division, without a doubt,” the former Runcorn Linnets boss added.
“There aren’t many outside of the EFL who back their team in the numbers and the type of support that they give us.
“There’s a togetherness and culture at this football club in that we need the supporters the way that they need their football team. It goes both ways.
“They’ve stood by us after a difficult start and I’m really proud and grateful for them and, over the course of the season, we aim to reward their support even more.”
