RYAN Lowe has acknowledged the debt he owes to Chester after sealing his dream big-money move to Sheffield Wednesday.

Lowe, who had two spells with the Blues from 2005-06 and 2008-9, joined the Owls last week, signing from Bury on transfer deadline day in a £100,000 deal.

The 32-year-old forward became a firm fans’ favourite at the Deva Stadium before departing for Gigg Lane following Chester’s relegation from the Football League in May 2009.

He reckons his switch from playing as a wide midfielder to a centre-forward – which came during his second spell with the Blues when he was the club’s player of the year – was the catalyst for him playing the best football of his career.

Lowe told The Chronicle: “Chester will always have a place in my heart and the fans there were just brilliant.

“My time at Chester was great for my career as it gave me the opportunity to play further forward and score more goals.

“The form I was in at Chester carried on at Bury and it will hopefully do the same at Sheffield Wednesday.

“It’s a dream move for me and, although it’s come late in my career, I think that I am playing the best football of my life.”

Lowe has retained a keen interest in the Blues since their reformation last year and expressed his delight at what has been achieved.

“What they have done with the club is amazing,” he said. “I always have and always will keep an eye out for Chester’s results as the club and the fans mean a lot to me.

“There are some familiar faces there, such as John Danby and Matty McNeil, who I played with at Stockport, and they seem to have the quality to get them up the leagues.”

Lowe has got better and better with age during a career with began with non-league Burscough and took in stops at Shrewsbury Town, Crewe Alexandra and Stockport County.

His record at Bury – 53 goals in 100 games – brought him to the attention of some of the Football League’s bigger clubs and the Owls, from League One, snapped him up on a two-year deal last week.

But the Liverpool-born forward, who turns 33 later this month, admits he still harbours a desire to return to Chester before his playing career ends.

He said: “I’d never rule out a return but I’ll always follow them and I’ll hopefully get to see a game or two at some stage.”

Lowe made his debut for the Owls in Monday’s 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic, coming off the subs’ bench early on before limping off in the second half with an ankle injury.

Lowe was not the only former Chester player on the move last week.

French midfielder Damien Mozika, who was a team-mate of Lowe’s at the Deva in the 2008-09 campaign, joined the Bury exodus and signed for Scunthorpe United for a six-figure sum.