STARLET Lloyd Hayes has vowed to help Chester win the title before swapping Hare Lane for life in the Championship.
The Chronicle can reveal the highly-rated centre has agreed a two-year professional deal with Rotherham Titans.
But Hayes will not make the move to South Yorkshire until the summer as he wants to ensure table-topping Chester ‘finish the job’ in National League Three North.
Chester head coach Nic Corrigan said: “Lloyd fully deserves this opportunity.
“This season has really ignited him. He seems to be hungrier than ever and this is the right time to take this opportunity at the age he’s at.
“We’ve talked long and hard about how the first year of his contract will be the hardest as he will have to get his head down, work hard and focus on what Rotherham want from him.
“But for now he’s hungry and ready to finish the job for us.
“Throughout the talks Lloyd, along with his mum and dad, were very firm in stating that he wants to get the job done with Chester before he moves to Rotherham.
“Chester is his family and he wants to get us sorted first.”
Hayes’ sensational form this season has been a major reason why Chester are just five wins away from promotion to the fourth tier of English rugby.
A number of full-time clubs were tracking the 20-year-old.
But it is Rotherham, who play one level down from the Aviva Premiership, who have won the race for his signature.
Hayes does not have an agent, but received assistance throughout the negotiations from Corrigan.
Under the terms of the transfer, Chester could be able to recall Hayes next season.
But that will only materialise if they win promotion – and if Hayes is not getting first-team rugby at Rotherham.
Corrigan does not expect that to happen.
He said: “Alex Codling, who is the outgoing coach at Rotherham, has been absolutely fantastic and between Alex and I we’ve managed it.
“We’ve got an agreement in principle that if we get promoted he will be loaned back to us rather than a Yorkshire competitor in our league.
“Or if it doesn’t work out we’ll get first option to re-sign him.
“But I have no doubts Lloyd will be a success at Rotherham and I think he can push on if has a couple of good seasons for them.”
Hayes, who hails from Flintshire, follows in the footsteps of England international Ben Foden and his brother Tom in graduating from Chester into the professional game.
“If we can get two or three more Lloyd Hayes’ in the next few years that will be fantastic for us,” said Corrigan, who paid tribute to the role Hayes’ former club Mold and his older brother Rhys – who plays fly-half for Chester – have played in his development.
