Thanks to Dave Rowntree for many of the player images after 1984.
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JAMES CHESTER
Born: 23 January 1989
Came from: Manchester United Went to: Manchester United
First game: 27 September 2009 Last game: 03 October 2009
Appearances: 3 (2/1) Goals: 0
Chester was a talented product of the Manchester United youth system, having joined the Reds at the age of eight. A robust centre-back, he progressed from the Old Trafford youth team (playing alongside future Pilgrims Craig Cathcart and Richard Eckersley) to captain the reserves. He made his one and only first team appearance for United as a substitute in a League Cup semi-final against Derby County. In February 2009 he joined Peterborough United on loan for a month, making five appearances. Chester came to Home Park in September of the same year on a three-month loan deal, but he managed only three appearances in the Championship (all in one week); a knee cartilage injury sustained in his third game meant a long lay-off and an early return to Old Trafford.
On full recovery from his injury, Chester was loaned to Carlisle United at the start of the 2010-11 season, where he played 24 times and scored three. After an initial desire to extend his loan spell and consider a permanent move, other clubs were alerted and Hull City had a bid believed to be around £300,000 accepted in January 2011 to secure his transfer to the KC Stadium. By the end of the 2013-14 season he was an established regular and heading towards 150 games for the Humberside club. Chester’s efforts included a goal at each end in a narrow 3-2 home defeat by his first club, Manchester United, and the opening goal in Hull's dramatic 3-2 defeat by Arsenal in the 2014 FA Cup Final. Less than three weeks later, having pledged his allegiance to Wales (his mother was born in Rhyl), he made his full international debut in a match against Holland at the Amsterdam Arena.
In July 2015, following Hull's relegation from the Premier League and after 171 appearances (8 goals) for the Tigers, Chester was transferred back to the Premier League with a move to West Bromwich Albion on a deal far removed from his loan spell at Home Park - a four-year contract for a reported fee which could ultimately cost the Baggies £8 million.
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APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
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