Ryan Can Lead From The Front

AT the ripe age of 23, most young players are happy just to gain valuable experience and learn the tricks of their trade – not, though, if your name is Ryan Astles!

- Saj Sadiq

Despite suffering a heavy defeat at Halifax yesterday, the talented young centre-back is right in the thick of it and leading from the front in a bid to keep Chester perched on Non-League’s top table.

Hailed as a “defensive colossus” by manager Marcus Bignot, Astles is beginning to help steer the Blues in the right direction.

The 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Solihull Moors earlier in the month was their first in the league since mid-October and meant that National League survival is suddenly in Chester’s hands with games to spare among their drop rivals.

At the same time, Astles himself is turning heads among a number of Football League clubs with rumours linking the former Rhyl and Northwich Victoria man to a potential move away from the Deva Stadium in the January window.

One thing’s for sure, Chester’s survival hopes will be severely dented should they lose their talisman – but Astles isn’t thinking about life anywhere else, simply focusing on carrying out the responsibilities that encompasses his rapid rise to claiming the captain’s armband.

Progress

“It is a big challenge, but I have a good group of players around me and supporting me,” he told The NLP. “You have to lead by example but you have to also make sure that everyone is playing their part as well.