Chesterfield relegated from League Two after Morecambe draw

Former Chesterfield striker Jack Lester left his role as manager on Monday after seven months in charge

Chesterfield have been relegated to the National League after Morecambe drew at home against Cambridge on Tuesday.

The Spireites, bottom of League Two, are 10 points from safety with three games of the campaign remaining.

It means Chesterfield will play in non-league for the first time since re-joining the Football League in 1921.

Jack Lester, who had won just nine of his 37 games in charge, left as manager on Monday, while his backroom staff also departed the club.

Ex-Derby, Blackpool and Chesterfield defender Ian Evatt will be in charge for the final three games of the season, assisted by academy coach Miguel Llera.

Lester fails to revive Spireites

After finishing bottom of League One last season, a second successive relegation had looked a strong possibility for Chesterfield from the moment Gary Caldwell was sacked as manager in September.

The former Scotland international picked up just one win in 10 matches at the start of the season, but the return of club legend Lester as boss failed to suitably revive the cash-strapped Derbyshire club.

Just eight more league wins have followed, although a morale-boosting victory against promotion-chasing Luton Town in January saw them escape the bottom two.

Despite backing that up with a win over Yeovil Town the following week, 10 defeats in their next 14 matches meant the Spireites slipped back into the bottom two.

Chesterfield have not been outside of the relegation zone for nearly three months, and Lester departed on 23 April, saying he was "desperately sorry" he was unable to help the club survive the drop into non-league.