PAUL TURNBULL declared he is a ‘winner’ who wants Chester to aim for the play-offs next season.

The tenacious central midfielder has signed for Chester on a two-year deal from Barrow, whose manager Paul Cox had wanted to extend Turnbull’s stay with the Bluebirds, but he informed them he wished to make the switch to the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium.

Turnbull was a key performer for Barrow last term, making 36 appearances, and has made a name for himself as a real leader on the pitch after successful spells with Stockport County, Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town.

Handforth-based Turnbull is the second player to jump ship from Barrow to sign for Chester in the past week, after striker Ross Hannah re-joined the club.

“We want to be at the other end of the table next season,” said 28-year-old Turnbull, who has vowed to help the Blues significantly improve on last year’s 19th placed finish. 

“When the club are signing your likes of Ross, Andy Halls, John McCombe, they are all experienced players like myself and hopefully we can push on.

“Play-offs has to be the main aim this season. We’ve got a goalscorer in Ross and we’ve got experience now across the team, players who know the league.

“Ross is a top lad and so are McCombe and Halls too, good players and top lads, so hopefully we can be challenging there at the right end of the division.

“I’m here to win. I’m not here to mess about, or challenging around the wrong end of the table. We want to be pushing ourselves and winning games of football.”

The 28-year-old explained how a conversation last week with Blues’ forward Hannah was the first step to joining Chester, before speaking with boss Jon McCarthy and deciding it was a ‘no-brainer’ to make the move.

“Firstly I spoke to Ross Hannah when he came in and signed here, and he told me the gaffer was really interested in me,” he continued.

"I dropped him a text and as soon as I spoke to the gaffer it was a ‘no-brainer’ for me to come here and I was happy to come in, sit down and get signed on.”

Formerly captain of the Silkmen, Turnbull believes he will bring ‘experience and presence’ into McCarthy’s midfield and hopes to help young talents such as Matty Waters and James Akintunde realise their potential.

“The fans can expect 100 per cent every week, hopefully chipping in with a few goals along the way,” he continued.

“I was captain at Macclesfield and I’ve got that experience and that’s my game really. I like to show my presence on the pitch, I like to get the team organised in midfield and stuff like that.

“That will help the younger players. There’s a lot of young talent here already so hopefully my experience can help us out.”

Turnbull hails from south Manchester, and revealed the distance he and his young family were forced to travel to attend matches at Barrow’s Holker Street ground was a factor in his decision to make the switch closer to home.

“The move has come about through a few factors, there’s a bit of personal reasons on the field and family reasons too,” he added.

“At Barrow we trained in Manchester but my family like to come and watch me a lot and they didn’t have that chance at Barrow as it’s a long way up there.

“So obviously as soon as I got the call off Jon it was a ‘no-brainer’.

“Chester is 45 minutes from home, my family can come and watch and it makes a lot of sense.”