FORMER Town favourite Kevin McHale is saddened by the demise of Chester City.

The man who made 374 Town appearances, scoring 68 goals, spent the last two seasons of his league career with the then-Sealand Road club from 1970-72.

Financial meltdown meant Chester, who moved to the Deva Stadium in 1992, were expelled from the Blue Square Premier, then wound up, earlier this month.

It was a very different state of affairs when McHale played in a side managed by Ken Roberts.

“Like Crewe, where I played immediately after Town, Chester were a solid, well-run club,” he recalled.

“I enjoyed my time there, and we had a good stab at promotion from Division IV in 1970-71, missing out by just a point.

“It’s sad to see what’s happened there, and it’s the supporters you have to feel most sorry for.”

Elsewhere, Stocksbridge Park Steels have parted company with boss Simon Collins, the former Town player, after a poor spell in the UniBond League Premier Division.

Ex-Ossett Town manager Collins had only been at the club since September.

While Stocksbridge are seeking their third manager this season, Collins was only the fifth to have been in charge since the club went semi-professional 20 years ago.

Another ex-Town man, midfielder Lee Fowler, has joined Halesowen Town, of the Southern League Premier Division, from Blue Square Premier promotion chasers Oxford United. He began the season at Kettering Town, also of the Blue Square.