I very nearly shed a tear this week, it was almost like the death of an old friend, as 125 years of history was brought to a close in less than a minute as Chester City were wound up in the High Court.

And it brought to a final end a chapter for me as Chester were the club where I cut my journalistic teeth freelance reporting on matchdays from the Deva Stadium (the only ground to be in two countries at the same time) as far back as 1996.

I've witnessed some turmoil at Chester over the years, a club which seemed to lurch from one crisis to another as frequently as they changed their manager. And all through this it was the long suffering fans you had to feel for - and yet a hardcore turned up week after week to suffer in a slightly different way to this hack who frequently had to produce 500 words by the final whistle from a shockingly dull 0-0 draw that had mustered barely a shot of note.

The writing was on the wall a few weeks ago when the Football Conference clubs lost patience and voted to expel Chester from the league.  The only hope is that a 'phoenix club' will rise from the flames, possibly to start out in the Unibond League One. Oh poor old Harry McNally will be turning in his grave.

Sadly, Chester's demise won't be the last, and both Cardiff and Southend are facing winding up orders care of HM Revenue and Customs who are seeking to extract their pound of flesh from the ailing clubs. But what the taxman needs to remember is that football clubs are not just about VAT and PAYE returns - they mean so much more to fans and communities than that. 

Both Cardiff and Southend have been given extra time to make "full and final" payment to HM Revenue and Customs of VAT and PAYE debts, but should they be unable then another 214 combined years of history could well have their final chapter written and firmly sealed with HM Revenue and Customs stamped across it.