League Two News - Football League chairman to stand down

Football League chairman Greg Clarke has announced he will stand down from his post at the end of the season.

The former Leicester City chairman, who was appointed in March 2010, will stay in the role until the league holds its annual general meeting on 10 June.

"I leave with the Football League in excellent health and with solid foundations in place," he said.

"Clubs are largely in better financial shape and there is a greater solidarity between our three divisions."

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Portsmouth defender Matt Clarke says he is open to extending his stay at Fratton Park.

Clarke joined Pompey on loan from Championship side Ipswich Town in August.

The 19-year-old has made 16 appearances for the League Two side so far this season.

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York City have released defender Keith Lowe by mutual consent.

The 30-year-old joined the Minstermen from Cheltenham in January 2014 after a loan spell.

He won the club's player of the year award last season but found himself out of favour after Jackie MacNamara took over from Russ Wilcox last month.

Lowe, who started his career with Wolves, made a total of 92 league appearances for the Bootham Crescent side.

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Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray says defender Luke Jones will almost certainly have to retire because of an Achilles tendon injury.

Jones, 28, has not played for the Stags since rejoining them from Stevenage for a third spell in May 2014.

"He's had two years of hell. His main focus is being able to live day-to-day life as best he can," Murray told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"He still can't walk to 100% and we're gutted for him as a football club."

Jones made 25 league appearances in his first spell with the club before helping them to promotion back to the Football League in 2012-13, scoring eight goals in 33 league games.

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Oxford United manager Michael Appleton has questioned why any of his key players would want to leave the League Two leaders.

Midfielders Kemar Roofe and Callum O'Dowda have excelled this term for the in-form U's.

Roofe, who has scored 12 goals this season, has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

"I think the most important thing for them to do at the minute is to do it here," Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Why would you want to go to a Championship club right now when the reality is you might be on the bench each Saturday?

"If there are big clubs monitoring Callum and Kemar, at the right time, they will make a serious offer."

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Armand Gnanduillet's loan spell at Stevenage from Chesterfield has been extended until January.

The 24-year-old striker has scored twice in 10 appearances for the League Two side, helping Boro go unbeaten throughout November, a run of five matches.

Gnanduillet has had previous loan spells at Tranmere and Oxford since signing for Chesterfield in 2013.

Stevenage are currently 18th in League Two having won five league games from the 20 they have played this season.