Craig Mahon’s connection to Tranmere Rovers means the Irish winger cannot wait for next season’s derbies with the Wirral club.

His uncle Alan Mahon left Dublin as a schoolboy to move to Prenton Park and became a favourite of the Tranmere fans.

Tranmere were well established as a Championship club at the time and Alan lined up for them in the 2000 League Cup final at Wembley.

Back-to-back relegations mean Rovers now find themselves in the same division as the Blues for the first time since 1991.

The return of the rivalry is whetting the appetite of Chester supporters and Craig shares the excitement over the fixtures.

“These are the kind of games you want to be play in as a footballer,” said the 25-year-old, who signed a new two-year contract in April.

“With the history Tranmere have got and what the club has done in the past, it’s obviously not a nice position for their fans to be in but it’s a great opportunity for myself and the team to be involved in more big games.

“I don’t imagine the rivalry will be quite as intense as it is with Wrexham but there’s still a lot at stake and I think the two games will be fantastic to be part of for both teams and both sets of supporters.”

LOOK: Images from Craig Mahon's Blues career so far.

Craig, who followed in his uncle’s footsteps when he left Ireland as a teenager to join Wigan Athletic, was a standout player for Steve Burr’s side in 2014-15.

He made 50 appearances in all competitions and found the back of the net seven times, and his displays in the FA Cup drew attention from Football League scouts.

The ex-Vauxhall Motors trickster openly admits he has ambitions to test himself at a higher level – but believes he can achieve that with the Blues.

“I would love to play in the Football League and it would be fantastic if I could do that with Chester,” he said.

“But I do think the Conference is fantastic too and it’s getting stronger all the time, so if I don’t make it back into the league then I’m not going to be too disheartened.

“I just think that Chester is a club that belongs in the Football League – it’s got the foundations, the history and the fan base and it would be fantastic for the supporters here.”

Fixtures for the 2015-16 Vanarama National League season are due to be released on July 1.