Why Lewis Earl fits the bill in new look Chester FC squad

Calum McIntyre says useful experience and potential makes Lewis Earl an exciting signing for Chester FC.

The 20-year-old holding midfielder was a youth player at Preston, moved on to Stockport County and then had loans last season at Telford, Warrington Rylands and Hyde United.

So, the 6ft 1in midfielder, who can also play in defence, comes with games under his belt, not least the 19 he played for Hyde in the Northern Premier League.

McIntyre said: “He comes with a strong recommendation. It is a position we felt we needed to add to, and we wanted to add a really specific profile of a young player that had played senior games. He has impressed in two loan spells last season, he has a really good athletic profile and is very good with the ball.

“He is a player we can work with and develop but equally he can improve our team. I am really pleased to get that done. He is a holding midfielder. He is very good technically, really good with the ball. Defensively, he is very athletic and can make that position really stable and has the profile to keep developing for years to come.”

Earl is part of a new group preparing for the 2022/23 season after the players reported back for pre-season training on Tuesday. That marked a new chapter for the club who have switched to daytime from evening training and are using the new King George V community sports facilities in Blacon.

McIntyre added: “It was fantastic. It was Day One of the new training model so it was exciting for everyone to be out there in the morning, the first time in the new training facility.

“The facilities are unbelievable and completely unrivalled for this level. For us to be able to train at that sort of venue, both out there on the pitch and the use the building