MORECAMBE last night turned down Chester City's cash offer plus a player for their midfielder Stewart Drummond.

This was City's third attempt in the last nine months to sign the influential midfielder; all the offers have been turned down. However, Chester chairman Stephen Vaughan is hoping that the player will sign for the Deva Stadium club at the end of the season.

"In one respect because of the bad feeling between the two clubs I'm not surprised by Morecambe's response, but we will try again in the summer when Stewart becomes a free agent.

"Mark Wright and myself are firm admirers of the player's abilities. My opinion is that the response we received from Morecambe wasn't taken as a purely business decision, but that is up to them. We will speak to the player directly when the rules permit us to."

One transfer that was completed yesterday was the loan signing of Lee Elam. The Yeovil Town midfielder has joined City until the end of the season.

"Lee is a player I know well from our days together at Southport. He will give us an extra dimension that we need, and I am sure he will quickly become a firm crowd favourite," said City manager Wright.

Chester, who have a blank Saturday this weekend, are next in action next Tuesday evening when they visit crisis club Telford United.

The Shropshire outfit announced a deficit of £650,000 yesterday, and their chairman and major shareholders business interests have gone into financial receivership, which puts their long-term future in doubt. However, the club's directors announced last night they would trade until the end of the season.

City will sell tickets for the upcoming away match at Shrewsbury Town next week. Season ticket holders can buy tickets on Thursday and Friday, April 1 and 2, while selling to other supporters will commence on Monday, April 5.