In
the summer of 1902, a group of teenagers organised
a few friendly football games for the coming
winter. By October 1904, the first occasion for
which written records exist, the club seems to
have had an established fixture list, but neither
a name nor a ground! Hence the name, NOMADS,
decided upon during a train journey home after a
match in Manchester, seemed entirely appropriate.
The club was placed on a proper financial footing
in 1906, and rules were drawn up. At first the
club played in white cricket shirts, but soon took
on the racing colours of the Duke of Westminster:
Gold and Black; colours which have remained with
Nomads for over ninety years - although now the
gold has been modified to amber.
In
1913 the club moved to Boughton Hall, renting
pitches from the Cricket Club, an arrangement
which still continues, although we think that the
right to graze sheep on the field is no longer
part of the tenancy agreement!
Since that time the Nomads have gone from strength
to strength, achieving success in local, county
and national competitions, and, through the
generosity of members in providing loans, being
able to purchase our own ground in 1988.
Chester Nomads Association Football Club is among
the oldest amateur soccer clubs in Chester, and is
probably one of the biggest in England. Every
Saturday we put out seven teams playing all over
Cheshire, North Wales and Merseyside. The
tradition of friendly football is maintained by
four of the seven teams, while our First Eleven
play in the Mid-Cheshire League, and the 2ndX1 and
3rdX1 play in the Chester & District League.
The quality of the club is emphasised by the large
number of ex-professionals who have played for the
Nomads and continue to join. We also play as far
afield as Yorkshire, South Wales and London
