HE may be only 19 years old, but Rob Marsh-Evans' nomadic yet brief career has already taken him from the North Wales coast to Manchester United, Wrexham and back again.

But having penned his first professional contract with Chester City this week, the strapping centre-back hopes he has found the perfect home to develop his skills.

Marsh-Evans arrived at Chester last year as a striker but was soon converted to a centre-back - a position current Blues boss Mark Wright knows inside out from his glittering career with Liverpool and England.

A series of encouraging displays at reserve and youth team level left Wright in no doubt Marsh-Evans was worthy of a place on next season's first-team roster.

And the teenager had no hesitation in agreeing to further his education under Wright's guidance.

Marsh-Evans said: 'Being converted to a centre-back was the key for me. Mark Wright was a centre-half himself and he saw me in that position and he's taught me a few positional things. I've learned a lot from him.

'He's got a lot of knowledge and hopefully he can pass it on to me. He's a good man, someone I look up to.

'He definitely wants to improve his players.'

Marsh-Evans, who has signed a 12-month deal, knows he will face stiff competition for a starting place next term, with establishing a regular spot on the bench his realistic early-season target.

He said: 'I'm going to work hard in pre-season and see how things go from there.

'I'll be hoping to play in some friend-lies. Everyone gets a chance then.

'Hopefully I can do well in those games, then you never know - I might get in earlier than expected.'

Wright took plenty of plaudits from his work with Danny Collins - a raw, leggy striker signed from Buckley Town who went on to play for Sunderland and Wales after being groomed as a defender.

But the conversion of Marsh-Evans was the brainchild of another former England defender - former Blues boss Keith Curle.

Previously, the powerfully-built defender from Abergele had played all his football as a striker, starting from his junior days with Colwyn Bay.

He spent a year at Manchester United as a 12-year-old before moving to Wrexham, where he failed to make the grade.

'I was 16 and had no club,' said Marsh-Evans. 'I just went into playing local football, playing for Ruthin Town and Prestatyn.'

Marsh-Evans' manager at Prestatyn was Jim Hackett, who now works as head of youth development at Chester.

'Jim gave me a lot of chances and it's gone on from there really,' added the Blues' latest recruit, who was more determined than ever to break into the professional ranks following his rejection from Wrexham.

He added: 'I was tall but I wasn't filled out so they released me. They didn't want to take a chance on me and I've always remembered that. That inspired me to work twice as hard and to try and get a professional contract.'