The 1988–89 season was the 51st season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Chester City, an English club based in Chester, Cheshire.

Also, it was the third season spent in the Third Division after the promotion from the Fourth Division in 1986. Alongside competing in the Football League the club also participated in the FA Cup, the Football League Cup and the Associate Members' Cup.

Football League

Results summary

Results by matchday

Matches DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance27 AugustBlackpoolHD1–1Johnson3,4963 SeptemberPort ValeAW2–1Woodthorpe, Johnson4,21310 SeptemberBristol CityHW2–0Lightfoot, Dale2,82317 SeptemberSheffield UnitedAL1–6Lightfoot8,67520 SeptemberPreston North EndAD3–3Dale (2), Johnson5,41524 SeptemberHuddersfield TownHW3–0Newhouse, Johnson (pen), Tucker (o.g.)3,3191 OctoberReadingAL1–3Woodthorpe4,3765 OctoberBrentfordHW3–2Jakub, Barrow, Dale2,0049 OctoberNotts CountyAD2–2Benjamin, Barrow5,77215 OctoberCardiff CityHD0–02,79622 OctoberBristol RoversAL1–4Benjamin3,81126 OctoberMansfield TownHD0–01,80529 OctoberAldershotAD1–1Hawtin1,8625 NovemberSwansea CityHW3–1Dale (2), Abel2,2638 NovemberBuryAL1–2Newhouse2,49712 NovemberChesterfieldHW3–1Hewitt (o.g.), Dale (2)2,09926 NovemberSouthend UnitedHL2–4Johnson (2)2,0503 DecemberGillinghamAW2–0Dale, Johnson3,32917 DecemberBolton WanderersAW1–0Dale4,31826 DecemberWigan AthleticHW1–0Lightfoot3,26231 DecemberNorthampton TownHW2–1Dale, Abel2,7332 JanuaryWolverhampton WanderersAL1–3Johnson21,9017 JanuaryFulhamAL1–4Lightfoot4,19614 JanuaryPort ValeHL1–2Dale4,89121 JanuaryBristol CityAW1–0Johnson9,5864 FebruaryReadingHW3–0Dale (2), Hinnigan2,35411 FebruaryBrentfordAW1–0Dale5,74818 FebruaryNotts CountyHW1–0Johnson3,15728 FebruaryMansfield TownAL0–22,7964 MarchBristol RoversHL0–23,08211 MarchSwansea CityAD1–1Dale4,31115 MarchAldershotHD1–1Dale2,03818 MarchBlackpoolAD1–1O'Keefe2,79525 MarchWolverhampton WanderersHD1–1Abel8,23627 MarchWigan AthleticAL0–33,1321 AprilBolton WanderersHD0–03,2255 AprilFulhamHW7–0Hinnigan, Woodthorpe, O'Keefe (pen), Graham, Dale (3)2,1218 AprilNorthampton TownAW2–0Lightfoot, O'Keefe (pen)2,84515 AprilHuddersfield TownAL1–3Painter6,10919 AprilSheffield UnitedHL0–14,28222 AprilPreston North EndHL0–14,61729 AprilChesterfieldAW2–1Dale, Lightfoot3,5291 MayBuryHW2–0Barrow, Lightfoot2,1105 MayGillinghamHW2–0Dale, O'Keefe (pen)2,1069 MayCardiff CityAL0–23,00213 MaySouthend UnitedAL0–14,089

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round19 NovemberBurnley (4)AW2–0Dale, Benjamin8,475Second round10 DecemberHuddersfield Town (3)AL0–16,295

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round first leg30 AugustBolton Wanderers (3)AL0–13,535First round second leg7 SeptemberHW3–1Lightfoot, Winstanley (o.g.), Barrow3,784Second round first leg28 SeptemberNottingham Forest (1)AL0–611,958Second round second leg12 OctoberHL0–44,747

Associate Members' Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceGroup stage13 DecemberSheffield United (3)AD2–2Benjamin, Dale2,98121 DecemberWrexham (4)HL1–2Hinnigan3,887

Season statistics Player Total League FACup LeagueCup AMCup Goalkeepers Billy Stewart 54 – 46 – 2 – 4 – 2 – Field players Graham Abel 48 3 40 3 1 – 4 – 2 – Graham Barrow 42 4 35 3 2 – 3 1 2 – Ian Benjamin 24+4 4 18+4 2 2 1 2 – 2 1 Gary Bennett 3+8 – 2+5 – – – 1+3 – – – Barry Butler 39+1 – 34+1 – 2 – 1 – 2 – Carl Dale 43+4 24 38+3 22 2 1 1+1 – 2 1 David Glenn 24+1 – 17+1 – 1 – 4 – 2 – Milton Graham 20+4 1 20+4 1 – – – – – – Craig Hawtin 3+1 1 3 1 0+1 – – – – – Joe Hinnigan 45+1 3 38+1 2 2 – 3 – 2 1 Joe Jakub 50 1 42 1 2 – 4 – 2 – Steve Johnson 43+3 10 35+3 10 2 – 4 – 2 – Tony Kelly 7 – 5 – – – 2 – – – Martin Lane 23 – 23 – – – – – – – Chris Lightfoot 36+6 8 31+5 7 1 – 4 1 0+1 – Sean Lundon 5+2 – 5+1 – – – 0+1 – – – Aidan Newhouse 15+15 2 14+11 2 – – 1+3 – 0+1 – Eamonn O'Keefe 11+3 4 11+3 4 – – – – – – Robbie Painter 5+4 1 5+3 1 – – – – 0+1 – Colin Woodthorpe 52 3 44 3 2 – 4 – 2 – Darren Wynne 0+6 – 0+6 – – – – – – – Own goals – 3 – 2 – – – 1 – – Total 54 72 46 64 2 2 4 3 2 3

References