WORCESTER Raiders have suffered a blow to start the new year as National League side Chester FC have signed the talented youngster Okera Simmonds for the rest of the 2021/22 season.

The former Liverpool trainee winger joined Raiders in early December but after a handful of games, has been snapped up by the National League North side.

Given his obvious talent, his stay at Sixways was always going to be a short one and now he will get the chance to test himself at a much higher level.

"Okera's agent contacted us two days ago saying Chester were interested in singing him and asked for permission to talk to the club," said Raiders chairman Steve Harris.

"I am never going to stand in the way of a player furthering his progress in the game so we told him to go and have a chat with them.

"So he went and did that and they (Chester) have offered him some really good terms, it's a great step in his career and Chester are a great club.

"Okera is very talented and we were lucky to have him for the short time we did and he was very complimentary of his time here and of the club itself so we wish him all the best."