Heed maestro wants Wembley return

After three months of kicking his heels on the touchline, the former Sunderland and England U18s star returned to training this week and now only has one thing on his mind - making sure the Heed make the play-offs and book their berth in May's Vanarama National League promotion final at Wembley.

Chandler, who lifted the FA Trophy with Darlington at Wembley in 2011, said on Wednesday: "It's fantastic to be back. It is frustrating to miss training, never mind a game.

"To be back amongst it is great and to be back on that training pitch, kicking a ball again, having a bit of banter with the lads. I've missed it. To be back, amongst the boys, is fantastic."

With a last sixteen FA Trophy tie against AFC Fylde also on the agenda for Gateshead, Chandler isn't ruling out an earlier visit to Wembley in Non-League's showpiece competition.

He added: "The FA Trophy has to be a priority. Every competition you enter you want to win. Like in the FA Cup, you want to get to the third round, that is your final and we had that experience last year against West Brom.

"The FA Trophy is a fantastic competition and I have been fortunate enough to experience that with Darlington. It is a great day out, you have your whole family there, you get your suit on and you're at Wembley, which is the best place to play your football.

"If we can give the fans another day out, and give the chairman and his family that day out at Wembley, it would be a fantastic achievement for this club."