Could the two clubs survive side by side?

If Chester win promotion from the Nationwide Conference, Vaughan wants to move Tranmere 10 miles down the road to the Deva Stadium.

But as Chester fan Jonathan Legard and Tranmere fan Nigel Adderley both highlight the plan is serious cause for concern:

Sheffield MP Clive Betts also believes the city's football crisis could be solved by United and Wednesday sharing a ground.

Are you in favour of the idea?

This would sound the death knell for Tranmere if Mr Vaughan's plan was put into action. Many current supporters wouldn't travel to Chester while a new stadium is being built, and his current track record of having dealings with Barrow and Chester doesn't look good for Tranmere's future.
Liam

As a Rovers exile, now living in distant Chester, I find the proposals naive to the point of absurdity. During the times when Chester were more than a Sunday pub team (sorry), there existed a great rivalry between the two clubs.

I for one, look forward to renewing this rivalry as Chester continue their drive back to soccer stardom in the football league. To consider merging the two clubs is an insult to both sets of supporters and the heritage of this great sport.

I am sure most Tranmere fans would rather play at the Bebington Oval than at the Deva and the capacity would not be much less!! Hopefully Messers Johnson and Vaughan will realise that this concept is a non-starter.

If Vaughan wants to fast-track his team to the football league, then merge with Macclesfield or Wrexham and leave Tranmere alone.

A note to Mr Johnson...after taking Tranmere to unbelievable heights in past years, then suffering deserved abuse for dumping us unceremoniously in favour of one lesser team (Everton), please do not do so again. This is an obvious chance to untarnish your questionable reputation.

Finally, a note on Italy - clubs sharing stadia are from the same city. Birkenhead and Chester are miles apart, in more ways than one.
Andy, Rovers exile - Chester

To talk about a ground-share is crazy, the two clubs are a long distance apart. Let us not forget that Barrow Football Club are in financial crisis, Vaughan used to be involved with them.

Vaughan has not proposed any clear, long-term, financially stable plans for either Tranmere or Chester. Where are the business plans? We need more than just words. The Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust seems like a better option for Rovers.
Gareth Williams, UK

As a season ticket-holder living in Birkenhead, I very rarely miss a home game; if we were to move to Chester I believe I'd rarely attend. Were we to move to Chester, with around 4,000 season ticket holders, questions are raised.

Would I be guaranteed a seat? Would there be room for our average home support? With the capacity at the Diva (no disrespect intended - facts are facts) I imagine the answer to the above two questions is NO.

Supporters will not, easily, be able to see their side play at HOME(an unusual situation for the Prenton Park faithful). The travel and the non guaranteed seats will stop many people going.

If this temporary ground share is (even) only for a season or two - fans will drift. The majority of the fan base at TRFC are below the required age for a driving licence - and public transport to Chester is not great.

A (temporary) move to the Diva could spell financial disaster for TRFC through loss of fan base.
Simon Moscrop, UK

I think all people should try to imagine merging with their local rival before speaking - horrible isn't it! For football in the UK, tradition isn't important, football IS tradition.

I am proud of what the Wimbledon fans have done. However, in a situation where two clubs face closure maybe swallowing some pride and sharing a ground can be accepted as long as it's not an obvious attempt to butter fans up for a merger - ground-shares work in many places, not just in Italy. But as for mergers, no; better to let the clubs close I feel. 'Portsmouth and Southampton Utd' - I don't think so.
Nich Hill, UK

Having followed the Rovers through thick and thin (remember Canadian Bruce Osterman, the chairman who wanted to play in goal!) I say a resounding 'no' to ever going to Chester.

We have been down on our luck before and got through it, we can do it again...plus, this smacks of desperation from the Chester chairman. Doesn't he think he can take his team up without buying a slot? If he wants to buy us he should have to sell Chester first.
Lippy, USA

I guess a lot of Chester fans must be rolling their eyes thinking "not again", but I can see the business nous working there. He could sell off Tranmere's land for a bucket, build a new stadium for Tranmere in the Wirral and have money to spare at the end of it.

On paper it works, he just needs to keep the Tranmere fans happy while they ground share at Chester. He can't seriously even contemplate merging clubs, everyone knows it won't ever work.

Vaughan still has my faith, I hope his business nous will keep helping Chester back on their feet, and he doesn't mess all his good work up now.
Tom W (Chester exile), Japan

I have been a Rovers fan all my life and hope to die a Rovers fan. This proposal would kill both Chester City and Tranmere Rovers. Neither club need to do this from a financial point of view. We were told after the sale of Koumas that we would survive for two seasons.

I wish Chester City well, I want them to be a league club again and would welcome the return of our local derbys. But a merger would be an insult and should be fought by both sets of supporters.
David, England

Anyone who thinks that Mr Vaughan has the real interests of Tranmere Rovers and the Wirral at heart is kidding themselves. This is asset-stripping, pure and simple. Like Neil Avery said, leave Tranmere alone and look after Chester City instead.
Laurence Hughes, England

We all have pride in our football clubs, I have supported Chester for 30 yrs and would find it impossible to follow anyone else even a merged club. The identity of both clubs would be lost forever.
Paul Holmes, England

This is a good investment for Chester, although I think that many of the points raised should be considered thoroughly by both clubs. I like the idea of the clubs playing under the same roof, but I think for Tranmere that this is the only way out of their dept problems.
Chris, England, Chester

I am a Chester City supporter who makes a 180-mile-round-trip to watch MY team play a Home game at THEIR Home Stadium. I don't have a problem with sharing the ground with anyone when circumstances demand it for the 'Lodging' club but as for a merger that is just ludicrous.

If the merger rumour is true then no matter what name they play under it will mean that both Chester City and Tranmere Rovers are dead so I would most probably start going to Field Mill to watch Mansfield. After all if I am going to watch a 'new' team it might as well be one that will be easier and cheaper for me to get to.
Joe Martin, Mansfield, England

Inter Milan and AC Milan share the same stadium, as do Lazio and Roma. Lazio and Roma do not like each other, but it makes financial sense to share the same stadium. It must be best to share a stadium if two teams are near each other.
Robert Parker, UK

Vaughan has only been at Chester for 13 months, and to his credit, has done a wonderful job in turning the club round in the right direction - back towards the Football League where we belong, so why on earth does he have to rock the boat before the dust has even settled?

He should live up to his promises and put everything into Chester City Football Club. If he took over at Tranmere everything he's done thus far would just be undone. A merger is simply unthinkable.
Pete Shaw, N. Wales

As a true Chester City supporter, Steven Vaughan has done nothing but good for Chester City Football Club. He's revolutionised the club and has given the fans something they have not had for the last 50 years - a future!

We should wait and see what his plans are before we jump to any major conclusions regarding ground share. I thought Mr Legard's comments very aggressive. Let's not create a crisis we don't have. Chester fans have had more than their fair share of turmoil in the past. Let's continue to support OUR Chairman.
Barry Taylor, Warrington, England

Every time there is talk of ground share in the UK the old chestnut about it 'working for the big Italian clubs' comes up. For the record neither Juve nor Torino are happy with the Delle Alpi and would be happy to return to their former grounds, the Milan clubs do not have strong ties to particular areas of the city, and there was never any other stadium in Rome with the required capacity.

In Italy the emotional link to a particular ground is nowhere like as strong in this country. In the UK a club's history and tradition is strongly associated with its ground. I applaud decisions of Hearts, Hibs, and Celtic etc, who opted to redevelop at their traditional sites rather than going for soulless 'green belt' sites.
Vince Macari, Scotland

I have supported Tranmere for the past 16 years or so and as much as I am grateful for Peter Johnson's contribution to the club, he is the reason the club is in such a position after leaving us for Everton.

Tranmere need someone who will invest money in OUR club and not have some hidden agenda to use us as a stop gap to better things. Steven Vaughan appears to be Peter Johnson II and any merger plans for Tranmere and Chester would kill both clubs and leave us as the 'Wimbledon of the North'.
Chris, Aigburth, Liverpool

There is no reason why a ground merger cannot work, and indeed work very well, benefiting both clubs and both sets of supporters. Done well, ground sharing has been a proven winner by the big clubs in Italy.
Brownie, UK

I support Tranmere and have several friends who support Chester and these two teams have their own unique histories (troubled though they may have been at times). Does Mr Vaughan seriously expect 7500 Tranmere fans to make the 30 mile round trip every week to watch a new team.....I don't think so. Good luck to Chester in their promotion bid and I look forward to playing against them in the near future.
Stuart, Wirral, England

The fans have got to realise that either clubs merge or they will fold. We have to look to the future and not be stuck in a time warp. Why not build a new ground in Ellesmere Port? Both fans can join and support a new team.
Julian, Ellesmere Port, UK

As a Tranmere fan for over 16 years I have followed the team through both highs and lows. Lately it is more lows than highs, however despite the problems faced both on and off the pitch, I am confident a merger which is good for business in the short term will have a long term affect on the club, just look at Wimbledon.

Sadly Football executives and directors, etc, make snappy decisions to ease the short term crisis of a club and pay no thought to where we would be in five or ten years time. Football although a business is fundamentally a religion and supporters will stick by their side through thick and thin.
Andy Irish, UK

From a football point of view, money is tight for all clubs outside of the top flight; ground sharing makes sense, if a multi-million pound ground gets used once or twice a week, both clubs gain. From a fans position relocation is never a good thing or ever wanted.
Martin, Canada (ex-pat)

This decision must be left to the fans; they are the ones who produce the money for both clubs and they are the ones who support their teams in the hot or cold and they should decide on the future of both clubs.
Darren Astley, Wales

I thought that considering the ex-Wrexham manager as a potential boss after we sacked Watson was the finest example of how little the Tranmere top brass understand the feelings of longstanding Rovers fans.

It seems I was wrong. Any deal/merger/ground-share or anything with Chester City would be the ultimate humiliation. Most fans I know would rather we folded.

If any of this does come to fruition, I'm off to watch Vauxhalls. We'll probably be playing them soon anyway.
Nigel Hughes, England

It is imperative to appreciate the dire financial situation of Tranmere at the moment, and as upsetting as it is for us fans, options like a move to smaller multi-purpose ground must be a realistic consideration in order to ensure the club survives in the form we know it.

However, a move off the Wirral, and sharing with Chester, is basically sounding the death knoll for Tranmere as a club and probably Chester as well.

The majority of Tranmere fans, and I would imagine Chester as well, would hold no stock with the option and putting the wheels of a merger into action, as it is one solution that should never be considered and represents suicide for both clubs.
Danny, Manchester,

They should build a new stadium in Ellesmere Port and merge the two clubs. That would solve Tranmere's problem attracting fans and would get Chester league football.
Tony, England

As a true fan of AFC Wimbledon, and not Franchise FC, all I can say is this is the most ridiculous idea since Charles Koppel decided to move a South London club to Milton Keynes.

Chester and Tranmere fans should fight this attack upon English football and its traditions all the way but don't expect any support from the cowardly Football League or neutered FA. Money speaks louder than ever in football, and only the fans can resist the heartless logic of the wreckers of English football like Mr Vaughan, who clearly wants to join Mr Koppel.
Ed Mackie, UK

For Debbie (Tranmere) and thousands like her, we are disgusted at such proposals. I am a Wednesday fan and the thought of ground-sharing with the Blades sends an uncontrollable shiver down my spine.

When will these businessmen, who appear to have not even the slightest interest in dealing with football for football's sake, realise that football is still essentially a sport, not a business (unless you support a Premiership team, that is!)?

All they see is profit margins and business deals. There are far more important things than money in life and our football's history and heritage are definitely two of them!
Southern Owl, England

Never mind Mr Vaughan. Tranmere fans should be trying to persuade Peter Johnson to take a more active part in the club in an attempt to recreate the 'glory days' of 10 years ago. The younger element of the Prenton Park crowd who like to abuse Mr Johnson should waken up and realise that the good times we had were largely thanks to him and it is he who will determine our future.
Stuart Hunter, Scotland

The whole thing is a joke; neither club's fans want it. It's a step back for Tranmere (my team) and, to be honest, a step back for Chester City.

The influence of American Football where one team can move to another city is unwelcome, but it's disheartening to slowly accept the fact that business must come first; otherwise in a few years' time there will be no club in any shape or form.

I just wonder how many fans, people who have followed and loved Tranmere Rovers football club for decades and decades, would actually withdraw their support, as we have seen with Wimbledon this season.

Our only hope is looking back to the mid to late '80s where a similar situation was averted by the entrance of Peter Johnson. Hopefully someone, somewhere, will step in before the two merge.
Stuart Egan, UK

I have been a supporter of Chester City since 1965. In that time I have witnessed many highs and lows including a ground share with Macclesfield while the Deva stadium was built.

Due to the state of football finances at the higher levels it should be obvious that football at most levels cannot continue to build up debt, the only long term outcome of this is the collapse of the league system as we know it.

This may please some at the highest level as it would again open up the idea of a European super league. The detail of the Steve Vaughan bid is unknown at present but any new initiatives that help preserve both Chester and Tranmere should be looked at openly and not discarded.
David Hughes, UK

Jonathon Legard puts it very well; football clubs just don't mix and the fans of both Tranmere and City have to make Vaughan realise this.

Putting it in language he would understand, this would financially be a disaster. It would be expensive to set up and would not have the support of the people of West Cheshire, North Wales or the Wirral.

Chester City fans have pride in and a deep affection for their football club. I don't doubt that Tranmere supporters are the same. Regardless of the financial situations, this must not be compromised.
John, Ellesmere Port, England

If Tranmere where to ground share with Chester I would never go and watch a game again. Tranmere are a Wirral club and a Wirral club they should stay, all the players past and present would turn in their grave at such a suggestion. Shame we don't have a Gary Lineker on the horizon!
Debbie, Tranmere, Wirral

Look at recent football history Mr Vaughan - mergers do not work from a financial or more importantly as football point of view. Leave Tranmere alone and get on with the job of getting Chester back where they belong.
Neil Avery, Wales