The Lancashire side announced at 3.30pm, while they should have been playing, that Challinor would leave after 8 years in charge.

Fylde are in the relegation zone on goal difference having lost their last four matches.

Challinor led them to the Promotion Final and Buildbase FA Trophy success last season.

"We have won together, laughed together, lost together and cried together," said a joint statement from chairman David Haythornthwaite and president Dai Davies.

"Today it was the latter, as we took this decision to part company with a man who was not just our manager, but someone who became our friend and whom we respect enormously not only as a manager, but as a human being".