Chester City want to make Michael Branch the star name on their return to the Football League.

Ambitious manager Mark Wright hopes to follow Doncaster's example by storming straight through the Third Division.

Wright has been given the green light from chairman Steve Vaughan to bolster the Conference champions during the summer and it is believed that City striker Branch is one of his top targets.

Branch, who joined from Wolves a year ago, scored six times in 35 games last season.

He had a great start with a late equaliser on the opening day against Norwich and also scored a dramatic winner in Bryan Robson's first game in charge in November. But after that strike against Millwall, Branch failed to hit the target again.

The former Everton frontman, who still lives on Merseyside, is the latest name to be linked with a move away from Valley Parade. Sheffield Wednesday are increasingly confident of signing Paul Heckingbottom and Walsall boss Paul Merson is closing in on Mark Paston and Michael Standing.

But Dean Windass' agent has played down suggestions that the striker is on his way to Darlington.

Former City player John Hendrie said: "Dean was up in the north-east anyway and was invited to visit the ground and have a look round. He had a chat there with manager David Hodgson but that was all.

"But there is no reason why he should not talk to other clubs. The players have been told they can."