Deva Stadium

The Deva Stadium stands on the edge of Chester, its pitch split by the England–Wales border. The ground sits on the Sealand Road Industrial Estate, with the main entrance and car park in England and the pitch itself in Flintshire, Wales. The name comes from Deva Victrix, the Roman fort that became Chester. The stadium opened in 1992 after Chester City’s old ground closed, replacing Sealand Road. For two seasons the club played 45 miles away at Macclesfield Town’s Moss Rose. The new stadium was the first in England to meet the Taylor Report’s safety rules after the Bradford Fire and Hillsborough disaster. The ground has hosted notable matches since its opening. Chester lost 2–1 to Stockport County in the League Cup on its first matchday. A week later they beat Burnley 3–0 in their first Football League game there. In October 1992 a Manchester United XI was beaten 2–0. The stadium’s tenth anniversary was marked by a friendly against a Liverpool XI, which Chester won 1–0. The ground has also seen groundshare talks with The New Saints and the rise of Chester F.C. after the original club’s collapse. Visitors find three sides of seating and one terraced end. The largest stand is the Gary Talbot Stand, with the Harry McNally Terrace opposite. The West Stand holds a small away section. The South Stand, renamed the Hipkiss Stand, honours long-serving supporters. The North Terrace was renamed after manager Harry McNally. The stadium remains a working football ground with few major changes since its opening.