CALUM MCINTYRE has been pleased with the summer movements as Chester prepare for the start of the National League North season.

The Blues open their competitive campaign with tomorrow’s trip to Spennymoor Town and boss McIntyre says Chester have signed what they needed to bring in ahead of the campaign.

McIntyre told the Seals podcast: “We’ve talked at length over the summer about having really targeted recruitment and I reflect now at the end of that period and I’m really pleased that we’ve acquired what we wanted to acquire.

“We’ve brought to the football club on permanents, on loans, players that we feel improve us in individual positions.

“We feel that we’ve upskilled across the group where we needed to physically. We’ve added experience, we’ve added promotions and we feel that we’re in a really good place.”

Chester’s standout summer acquisition is Kurt Willoughby (pictured above).

The striker has returned to the Deva Stadium on loan from National League Oldham Athletic.

Willoughby scored 27 goals in 52 appearances when the Blues finished third during the 2022-23 National League North campaign.

McIntyre, preparing for his third full season at the helm, added: “We’ve done it our way. I’m sure when you’re at a club the size of Chester, when you have a manager with a unique background the way I do, there’ll always be a level of attention and a level of focus on what we do.

“But we’ve done it our way, which is being backed by our supporters, being really clear, really realistic with our targets and being really patient.

“I think Kurt’s the icing on the cake to what is now a very strong forward line.”

Three other Chester managers - two at the same club - are also heading out in search of first-day glory.

Neil Young leads promoted Marine into battle at home to Oxford City.

Radcliffe - managed by ex-Blues duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley - are at home to Scarborough.