LIAM DAVIES hopes he will be handed his chance to prove himself as an attacking force at Chester.

The 20-year-old joined Chester on a short-term contract at the end of last season, making four appearances and scoring with a terrific header in the 3-2 home defeat against Woking.

However, Davies – the older brother of 18-year-old Everton starlet Tom – was forced to play at left wing-back due to a raft of injuries in the Blues’ squad, a far cry from his favoured roles as an attacking midfielder or central forward.

Now having been handed a short-term six-month deal by boss Jon McCarthy, Davies is confident he will be given an opportunity to prove himself as a goalscoring and creative threat over the coming months.

“I know I’m a more forward-thinking player and I can be a lot more effective in the final third of the pitch,” the Liverpool-born player explained.

“I can do a job where I’m needed like last season. There were cases where I had to play at left-back and wing back or out wide midfield and I feel I fitted in there but I see myself as an attacking player, I’m not very defensively-minded.

“I’d like to play just off the front, but if the manager is not playing a certain formation then it’s hard to fit players in.

“But now I’ve got the time to show people at the club what I can do in different positions, it’s down to me to prove myself.

“When I came in at the end of the season, I only had a short amount of time to prove what I could do. I feel in certain aspects of my game I did, but to come back fresh and to get the chance to kick on from the start of the season is something I’m eager for, to have a full pre-season with the lads and the gaffer.

“I want to show what I can do from the get-go, rather than coming in during the middle of the season and forcing my way in.”

Despite only being awarded a six-month deal, Davies is hopeful of seeing plenty of game-time, given the fact the Blues will be 27 matches into their 2017/18 National League campaign once his initial contract expires.

“Although it’s a short-term contract there’s so many games between now and Christmas that everyone will get a chance to prove themselves,” he said.

“It’s pre-season too, there’s Walsall and Port Vale coming up against really good sides and if you can show what you can do in those games then there’s no reason we can do it in the league.

“You get opportunities here, to go out on the pitch and show the manager and his staff why you deserve a longer deal.

“I’ve spoken to the backroom staff and a longer deal is something I’m obviously looking to, to prove myself in the games and there’s nothing to say the deal wouldn’t be extended. But that’s up to me to get out there, get in the starting XI and prove myself.”

Davies was delighted to be back amongst his team-mates this week as the players returned for pre-season over a week earlier than most of their National League rivals, and he admits a full pre-season can make all the difference come the big kick-off on August 5.

“It’s brilliant to be back, when you come back into the club and all the lads are together again you realise why you miss it so much,” Davies added. “Everyone’s raring to go already and I think we’ve all had a good bit of time to rest and get ready for next season.

“In the past two of three seasons, through injury or not being right on the back on injuries, I’ve not settled into pre-season properly. One of those seasons I didn’t even take part in pre-season.

“So to get going from day one, being able to work hard and get myself ready for the new season, that’s something I’m looking forward to.”