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Chester have confirmed the departure of Michael Branch 'by mutual consent'. Branch had a deal until the end of the season and can sign for a club below the Conference immediately or wait for the transfer window.
Darlington have released the shortlist of candidates for the managers post. Alongside current caretaker boss Martin Gray is ex-Doncaster man Dave Penney, Bristol Rovers Director of Football Lennie Lawrence and former Middlesboro winger Craig Hignett, who finished his career at Darlington in 2005. The club also expect to be charged by the Football League in relation to the payments to agents that cost David Hodgson his job.
The Conference are adamant that this years promotion and relegation issues will be settled on the pitch, with chief John Moules saying: "The target this year is that all promotion and relegation matters will be decided on the field of play and not in the boardroom. This year we are fairly safely saying that looking at the way things are panning out, it is expected to be four down and four up."
They may have trouble however with newly promoted Northwich, who were demoted over ownership and ground issues 12 months ago, being investigated by the FA Compliance Unit over a number of financial irregularities uncovered by BBC Radio, and Crawley have just a week left to comply with the terms of their CVA.
