Chester FC: Blues remain locked in talks with Jamie Rainford

CHESTER FC manager Neil Young remained locked in talks with his one of his top summer transfer targets last night.

The Blues have agreed a fee with Evo-Stik League Premier Division rivals Marine for goal-machine Jamie Rainford, but the pacy and hard-working striker was still discussing personal terms as The Chronicle went to press.

The 23-year-old scored 28 goals for the Merseysiders last season and had a trial with League One’s Notts County after attracting the attention of a host of full-time clubs.

Young also watched Rainford on a number of occasions and wanted to bring him to the Exacta Stadium to boost Chester’s ultimately successful bid to win the First Division North title.

Marine bosses were reluctant to sell to a club outside the Football League, but they have since changed their stance and Blues chief executive Steve Ashton has thrashed out a deal with his Arriva Stadium counterparts.

Rainford is not the only name on Young’s wishlist.

He has also had a bid turned down for a highly-rated centre-back who plies his trade for a club in the division Chester have just come out of.

Young said: “I want to get the ones I definitely want as early as I can and then we’ll sit and wait.

“You’ve got the fall-out of the Football League happening in the next four weeks so we’ll try and get the three or four I’ve identified and then we’ll see what’s out there.

“Compared to last year, we are now in a very commanding position. The club is established, it’s on a good financial footing and it is very well supported.

“That has allowed me to identify three or four players that I would like and obviously Jamie is one of them.

“It’s pointless waiting – if we can do the business why not get it done as early as we can?”

All-action midfielder Iain Howard has agreed a new contract while Young is continuing talks with captain George Horan over a new deal. The centre-back is out of contract.

Unbeaten in seven matches, Chester FC Youth will make their Exacta Stadium debut tonight when they take on Airbus UK Broughton (7pm). Tickets cost £1 on the gate.