| Conno and Stones join Chester |
| Saturday 29 May 2010 |
 RHYL'S leading scorer Mark Connolly has signed for phoenix club Chester, where he will be re-united with former team-mate Greg Stones. The duo are among the first signings for new Deva boss Neil Young, who was assistant manager at Belle Vue before taking over at Colwyn Bay. Connolly has just enjoyed an amazing season with the Lilywhites in which he scored 30 goals in all competitions, including 15 in the Welsh Premier. The 25-year-old agreed to join Young at Llanelian Road in the January transfer window, before a last-ditch financial package persuaded him to stay at Belle Vue. Connolly made seven Welsh Premier appearances for Bangor City in 2003/4 after signing from West Cheshire Leaguers Mallaby and, after signing non-contract for TNS in June 2004 for the Uefa Cup games, returned to Farrar Road before joining Rhyl. He has scored a total of 35 goals from 153 (+30) Welsh Premier appearances. Stones left Belle Vue for the second time in January because of the financial problems to join Colwyn, having arrived originally in the 2004 close season from West Cheshire League side Poulton Vics. He later went full-time with TNS in June 2006, but left the Saints a year later for a trial with Crewe Alexandra, later signing for Stafford Rangers and then Cammell Laird, before a surprise return to Belle Vue in January 2008. Photo: Connolly (centre) and Stones (right) celebrate a goal for Rhyl. |