Chichester City players issued with challenge ahead of new season

Chichester City’s players have been told: You were magnificent last season – now go and do it all again.
Chi City take on Worthing in their latest friendly / Picture: Neil HolmesChi City take on Worthing in their latest friendly / Picture: Neil Holmes
Chi City take on Worthing in their latest friendly / Picture: Neil Holmes

The Oaklands Park squad are having a solid pre-season and held leagie-above Worthing to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday night.

Assistant boss Graeme Gee says the management team are delighted to have kept the successful 2019-20 squad together for 20-21 and are out to do as well again as they did last year – but they know it will be difficult.

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City reached the second round of the FA Cup in their first season as a step four club and were sixth in the Isthmian south-east division when the season came to an early end.

Gee said: “We haven’t really made any big signings for the new season but our biggest signings have been to get the players with us last season to rejoin.

“It’s a close-knit squad and keeping them all together is massive.

“Last season we performed beyond expectations - the players were magnificent - and we want to do as well again. We want to improve on last season if we can but it will be tough.”

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Gee acknowledged that the surprise element Chi had as newcomers to the Isthmian League a year ago would be gone and teams would be more ready for what City would throw at them.

Gee said: “We feel preparations for the season are going well.

“I don’t place too much emphasis on results in pre-season but I think we’ve shown in playing Worthing twice that we’re getting things right.

“Worthing are a fantastic team who I think would have won the Isthmian premier division last season had it finished properly. And we set up differently to how we normally do to try to make it difficult for them.”

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Worthing manager Adam Hinshelwood said after Tuesday’s Oaklands Park friendly, played in front of an all-ticket crowd, he was impressed with how City made his team work hard for chances.

City have added a couple of new faces to the squad. Attacking midfielder Ryan Penny, previously with Team Solent, has joined, along with 17-year-old striker Ethan Pritchard, who had a long time at the AFCBournemouth academy.

Chi get another test of how far they have come when they host Bognor in a friendly tomorrow (Friday) evening. Their season starts with an FA Cup preliminary round tie at Basingstoke Town on Saturday week.