CHESTER CITY will take virtually their full strength first team squad to North Wales tonight to face Cymru Alliance side Buckley Town in the first pre-season friendly.

Nine of City's 10 close season signings are included in the squad but Steve Harkness, who started training only last Friday, misses out.

Citiy's players reported back for training three weeks ago, and manager Mark Wright is looking forward to his newly-created squad's first outing.

"The lads have worked extremely hard in training and they are really buzzing," he said.

"There is nothing really like a match situation and the game against Buckley will give me the chance to try out a couple of different formations.

"I will try to give as many of the squad as I can a run-out. Preseason friendlies are games that you can try things out in and are an important part of the run-up to the new season."

Wright will involve the former Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper Andy Ralph at some point.

The 19-year-old, who was released by Rovers at the end of last season, is on trial at the Deva Stadium.

Chester, who were flirting with relegation just prior to the end of last season, are considered by many observers to be one of the clubs who will be challenging for one of the two promotion places from the Nationwide Conference at the end of the season.

The optimism is due to the quality of the signings that Wright and his hard-working chairman Stephen Vaughan have made.

Besides Harkness, other quality acquisitions include the former Manchester United midfield player Michael Twiss, central defender Wayne Hatswell, who played for Oxford United last season, and ex-Swansea City striker Steve Brodie.

CHESTER CITY: W Brown, Ralph, Carden, Bolland, Hatswell, Ruffer, McIntyre, Davies, Blackburn, Twiss, Kelly, Carey, Whittaker, M Brown, Beesley, Sugden, Cameron, Brodie, Woodyatt.

* Meanwhile, tickets for Chester's prestigious friendly against Liverpool on Tuesday, August 13, are on sale during office hours at the Deva Stadium this week. Tickets can also be purchased from Anfield.