LEE MINSHULL admits he feels bereft after losing his housemate and best friend in football within a week, writes Michael Pearlman.

The popular midfielder, nicknamed the Tank, has seen two heroes of County’s promotion to the Football League, Danny Crow and Christian Jolley, depart Rodney Parade.

Crow has joined Conference North outfit Lowestoft as a player/coach and Jolley is being linked with a host of Conference clubs as he looks to regain his best form.

And Minshull admits he’s personally going to feel the loss of two extremely close friends, Minshull and Crow housemates throughout their tenure in Wales.

“It’s difficult, it’s always tough when your friends leave, living together with Danny you go through a lot of highs and lows together and it was sad to see him go,” he said.

“That said, we are all footballers and I know Danny wants to play, so we just want him to get some games now. He’s a great lad and it was a shame to see him leave, we are gutted from that perspective.

“It’s similar with Christian, I get Goosebumps when I think about his goal at Wembley and how it just changed that whole game,” he said.

“Christian is someone I’ve known a long time, he’s probably my oldest friend in football, so to speak and he’s another one that I’m gutted to lose.

“But the manager has got to make tough decisions, unfortunately personnel comes and goes and the one constant is the club.”