Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley have added experienced striker Deane Smalley to their Chester FC squad ahead of this weekend's National League North season opener at home to Spennymoor Town.
The 29-year-old Smalley, brother of Blues full back Dominic, has been on trial at the Swansway Chester Stadium since the Blues returned for pre-season training in June and has signed non-contract terms with the club.
The addition, if only for the short term, affords Johnson and Morley more options in attack alongside Anthony Dudley, with Chester striker-light for the start of the season owing to the absence of Matty Hughes through a two-game suspension carried over from last season.
Targetman Smalley began his career as a junior with Oldham Athletic before progressing through the ranks to feature over 100 times for the Latics in the Football League, netting 10 times in the league.
Loan spells at Rochdale and then Chesterfield followed, with Smalley netting 12 times in 28 games for the Spireites during the 2010/11 season.
He then spent three seasons at Oxford United where he made 81 league appearances and netted 13 goals, with a loan spell at Bradford City coming during his time with the U's.
He spent two seasons with Plymouth Argyle but made only 19 league appearances after battling with injury problems and spent time on loan at Newport County in 2016.
A bad injury saw him take some time out of the game before he returned towards the end of last season to help Ashton United reach promotion to the National League North via the play-offs alongside brother Dominic and fellow summer recruits John Pritchard and Dan Mooney.
Smalley netted twice during pre-season for Chester, with both goals coming in a 5-3 win at Runcorn Linnets last month.
