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Punches thrown at Chester dinner
A Non-League sports journalist and the Chester chairman came to blows at an end-of-season victory awards dinner reports the Chester Evening Leader.
Chairman Stephen Vaughan has refused to apologise for the bust up, claiming he acted in self-defence in the bust-up with the editor of the Non-League Newspaper, David Emery.
Mr Vaughan said the row erupted after Mr Emery approached him at a trophy dinner, telling him about an article about Chester City FC that was due to be printed the next day.
The article claimed that Chester City FC owed £18,000 in gate tickets to Hereford United ? a claim that is completely unfounded, said Mr Vaughan.
"It simply was not true. I told Emery he needed to get his facts right to start with. He was aware that the money had been paid after a little bit of a delay because of new FA stipulations.
"The truth is that Chester City owed Hereford United £17,200 from ticket sales from Chester City's last game of the season. Initially I had sent a cheque to Hereford Utd in the name of the management, Vaughan trading.
"Soon after, we heard of the new FA rules stipulating that third parties could not pay cheques and a letter of explanation and an apology was sent to Hereford Utd, along with a cheque transfer."
The bust-up happened in front of club shareholder directors and City FC player Daryl Clare, who was at the dinner to collect a Golden Boot award.
Mr Vaughan, a boxer for most of his life, said: "David Emery was just inviting trouble from the start. He came over to me and introduced himself at the start of the evening as the editor of the Non-League Newspaper and he started telling me about an article about the club.
"Words were exchanged between us. I made my views known and at the end of the night David came over and had a go at me."
Mr Vaughan said that things then became heated, leading to a fracas.
"I hit him; all I did was defend the club that I support that was being accused of wrong-doing. I am not apologising for it.
"Earlier in the night Mr Emery had made a suggestion that there had been a rift between me and Graham Turner, the manager of Hereford United. That was completely wrong. I had had my photograph taken with him on the night and in a speech I said I was bitterly disappointed for Hereford, who had not achieved what they wanted to in the league.
"That man spoiled the enjoyment of what should have been a great night for Chester City FC, and I have since put the matter in the hands of my solicitor."
Mr Emery could not be contacted this morning said the paper.