Crewe Alexandra’s assistant manager, Lee Bell, has praised the contribution of Luke Murphy over his two spells with the club and says that our former captain has been ‘unbelievable’.

Bell, who was a former team-mate of Murphy during the promotion winning season of 2012 says the decision to release the midfielder was one of the ‘toughest decisions’ they had to make at the conclusion of the season.

Murphy made 43 appearances last season and scored the club’s goal of the season in 2-1 win at Morecambe just after Christmas. The former club captain, who lifted the Football League Trophy in 2013 before completing a £1 million move to Leeds United, made a total of 272 appearances for the club and will rightly go down as a club legend.

Bell said of the club’s former captain: “It was a tough decision on Murph and people are aware of the friendship I have with him and his family away from the pitch as well. I spoke to him on the Sunday after the final game of the season and he was brilliant.

“He was really good and very professional but I didn’t expect anything less from him. He understands the reasons.

“Murph has been unbelievable for this club and you couldn’t meet a nicer fella. I just hope he goes on and finds another club and plays for a few more years because that is what he wants to do.”