Lee Bell says Lead Analyst John Dillon leaves Crewe Alexandra with his best wishes, after he accepted a role at a League One club.

The former Alex youth player, who returned as an analyst in 2016, will be part of the recruitment operation working under Neil Critchley at Blackpool.

Manager Bell said: “John has huge knowledge of the game and understood how I work.

“He has been a great servant and mastered the role, but more importantly he has a heart of gold and passionately wanted the club to succeed.

“I’ll miss him but he goes with our best wishes. All our focus is on preparing for an exciting season ahead.”

Dillon spent more than a decade as a player at Crewe from the age of eight, and went on to achieve league and cup success with Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland.

He played a leading role in recruitment alongside his analysis work at Crewe.

Dillon said: “I can only thank the club for giving me the opportunity to develop myself both as a person and within my job.

“The chance to learn skills in both analysis and recruitment was a huge show of faith in me, and I appreciate it very much.

“It's tough to leave because Crewe has been a huge part of my life. I’ve had some brilliant times here, and I’ll miss everybody massively.”

Everybody at Crewe Alexandra would like to wish John and his family all the very best for the future.