CHESTER CITY manager Mark Wright has described the progress in pre-season training his newly-promoted squad are making as "extremely impressive".
The Nationwide Conference champions, who are preparing for their return to the Football League after an absence of four years, returned to training a fortnight ago and the City boss is pleased with the way things are going.
"We worked them extremely hard in the first week and this week we got the ball out and started some more enjoyable stuff," said Wright.
"Next weekend we have our first pre-season friendly when Walsall visit the Deva Stadium and the lads will be ready for that."
The Chester management have been giving trials to a number of players during the past two weeks.
Former Yeovil Town midfielder Jamie Gosling has been released, while a decision on the former Tranmere Rovers midfielder Karl Brown will be made this week.
One player who is impressing the management in trials is the former Swansea City and Wycombe Wanderers wide man Stuart Roberts.
Meanwhile, Chester have appointed UEFA A badge-holder Jim Hackett as their youth development manager.
Hackett will also become director of City's Centre of Excellence and will run the programme with the club's co-ordinator Mark Newman.
