NORTH: Lancaster hit by Murphy retirement

Nationwide North club Lancaster City have been hit with the retirement of centre back Jamie Murphy.

The former Morecambe and Blackpool player has had a troublesome ankle injury since signing for the Dolly Blues in the close season. Murphy, who is a qualified physio with Bolton Wanderers, has accepted the opportunity to be with The Trotters' first team on matchdays making his decision to retire earlier.

His replacement Joe McMahon scored the winner at Scarborough to see the Dolly Blues to the FA Cup First Round Proper. And that success has produced one of those strange FA Cup quirks: the Manager of MK Dons, Lancaster's opponents in the First Round of the FA Cup, is Stuart Murdoch, who was goalkeeper for the Dolly Blues in the 1970's.