Chester FC don't know how long they will have to wait to receive international clearance for striker Deane Smalley.

The 29-year-old has yet to play a competitive fixture for the Blues since signing for them on non-contract terms on the eve of the National League North season following a successful trial, with the hold up due to Chester needing clearance from the Welsh FA.

Smalley, brother of Blues full back Dominic Smalley, spent a brief period on loan at Newport County back in 2016 while at Plymouth Argyle.

He picked up a nasty injury that saw him sidelined for the best part of a year before he joined Ashton United in February, helping them to win promotion to the National League North via the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League play-offs.

But it is understood that the clearance issue from his time at Newport was not resolved and the Blues must continue to play the waiting game over the striker, nearly four weeks after signing him.

"We completed all the necessary paperwork with the English FA and the player himself and then the English FA approaches the Welsh FA for the necessary clearance," said Chester director Calvin Hughes.

"We are in daily communication with the FA over this and are trying to move the situation along as quickly as we can, but there is little that can be done from our end. All we can do is wait for the clearance to arrive.

"It is obviously frustrating for the club and the player. There are no set timescales on when we have to receive an answer by, all we can do is hope that it gets processed as quickly as possible. It's getting on for four weeks now that we've been waiting.

"From our point of view the club have been diligent and we have done what we need to do in order to progress matters."

Smalley still stands a chance of making the weekend trip to Guiseley (3pm) should he receive clearance, but Chester could have fresh bodies in the squad as they close in on an attacking player ahead of the visit to Nethermoor.