FORMER Warrington Schoolboys’ star Tom Peers admits seeing the likes of Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin step into the England fold is giving all non-league strikers hope of progressing up the league ladder.

The 19-year-old aims to cement his place in a Chester side looking for promotion from the National League (formerly the Conference) this season after successful loan spells elsewhere last campaign.

He watched with interest as Leicester City’s Vardy and QPR’s Austin, who played non-league football at Fleetwood and Poole Town respectively, were called up to Roy Hodgson’s squad earlier this summer.

And the former Birchwood Community High School student now wants continue climbing the ladder with Chester.

“Everyone wants to play as high as they can and play in the Football League,” said Peers. “If we can get promoted with Chester then that would be the ideal situation.

“When you look at the likes of Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin playing for England the other day, they came through from playing at a lower level than me.

“It’s a fine line to making it and only takes one good season or one good game when someone is watching you.”

Peers is a product of Chester’s youth system, but it was on loan where he impressed last season with five goals at Conference North outfit Hednesford before scoring nine in nine games at Marine.

That came after breaking into the first team at the Deva Stadium as a 17-year-old.

“The old manager brought me on at Worcester in front of 5,000,” explained Peers. “That was mad!

“The season after I made a couple of starts and got six or seven appearances and played 12 last season."

He added: "My game is built on trying to get in behind the back four with my pace and scoring goals.

“It’s a good set-up at Chester and the youth section was good. It was all run by volunteers putting in the effort.”