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Saturday, January 31, 2026

Chester to part company with manager

Chester have announced manager Calum McIntyre will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

A club statement said that following extensive discussions, the board of directors has decided that the end of the current campaign is the right time to part company with Calum.

"We strongly believe that Calum and his staff represent the football club’s best opportunity to achieve our target of securing a play-off place and competing for promotion this season, and they will continue to receive our full backing for the remaining 17 National League North fixtures, beginning today against Radcliffe," the statement said.

"All parties agree that ensuring clarity for our players, staff and supporters gives us the chance to have a complete focus on finishing this season as strongly as possible, while allowing the football club to plan for 2026/27 and begin the process of recruiting a new First Team Manager to take the club forward."

City Fans United chair Nick Phillipson said: “The Board would firstly like to place on record its thanks to Calum and all members of the management team for their efforts during their time at Chester FC.

“All of us - directors, players and staff - recognise that results of late have not been good enough, and we are fully aware that the situation must improve if we are to achieve our target this season.

“We understand some people may question the timing, but the Board has given this full and proper consideration, and we feel that this is the right decision for the club for now and the future.

“Calum’s record speaks for itself in terms of play-off finishes, he retains the full support of the players, and everyone is clear on what is required over the next three months.

“We hope that this clarity about the future allows us all to have one focus until the end of the season – giving absolutely everything to try and make the play-offs and get our club promoted back to the National League.”

McIntyre was appointed as boss in May 2022, the club's seventh permanent managerial appointment since it was reformed in 2010.

McIntyre was the club’s full-time Academy Head Coach since 2016 until his appointment, overseeing the development of Academy graduates such as Sam Hughes, Tom Crawford and Will Goodwin, as well as current promising first team squad members Harrison Burke and Ollie Heywood.

He had also performed a variety of roles across the first team coaching staff – being involved in over 140 first team fixtures under three different management teams – as well as a spell as Caretaker Manager in April 2018, securing an away win at Barrow in one of his three matches in temporary charge in the National League.