Pitchero Non League

Colin Wake

....with long-serving assistant-manager Colin Wake.

Smith has been in charge of the Cestrians for nine months, and guided them to a comfortable mid-table finish last season, but he has decided to move to Blue Square Bet Premier neighbours Gateshead.

A club statement said: "Losing Anth is one which the club knew would be inevitable but were hoping not for another two or three years. He is ambitious and it was an offer he could not turn down. In the short period he was at the club he brought a new dimension to the playing side, building a team whose end of season form looked a good starter for the coming season. The club would like to thank for all his efforts and wish him every success in his new role.

"Last season's assistant manager Colin Wake, who has learnt a lot from his time with Anth, will now take full control of the side and he will be assisted by Ian Davison himself a former Cestrian player having had two stints at the club and more recently manager of Tow Law Town until he left at the end of last season .

“The club have in Colin and Ian, a young management team who have the desire and commitment to take the club forward and continue in the same vein as their predecessor to attempt to play attractive football.

"There were always going to be changes on the playing side and the new management team are now going through a list of current and new players that will hopefully commit themselves to the club and who will bring the success the club is looking for.

“We have had an excellent relationship over the last few years with Gateshead College and Gateshead FC and we hope that this will continue in the future. Striker Nathan Fisher joined Gateshead FC two seasons ago and now youngster Callum Patton is joining on Apprenticeship terms while a number of youngsters have moved to and from us to the College.”

Wake is one of Chester's longest-serving players, and had a brief spell as caretaker when Grant Crookes was sacked early last season.

Davison was in charge of Tow Law for two seasons, and could continue playing.

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