RETAINED LIST: Fleetwood release Woolford and McManus

Fleetwood Town have released their retained list and revealed that out of contract duo Martyn Woolford and Declan McManus have left the club.
Martyn Woolford leaves the pitch at OldhamMartyn Woolford leaves the pitch at Oldham
Martyn Woolford leaves the pitch at Oldham

Former Millwall and Scunthorpe midfielder Woolford joined the club from League One champions Sheffield United in August.

He made 12 appearances for Uwe Rosler’s side and netted once in Town’s 2-0 win over Coventry at Highbury in September but after injuring his knee in the 4-2 Checkatrade Trophy defeat at Carlisle the 31-year-old spent five months on the sidelines and only made one more appearance for the club a 62 minute cameo in the 2-0 defeat at Oldham in April.

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McManus, 22, was signed by former boss Graham Alexander after his release from Aberdeen in the summer of 2015.

He made an immediate impact scoring in his first game for the club in a 1-1 home draw with Southend and he went on to make 10 appearances for the club in all competitions but after falling out of favour under Alexander’s predecessor Steven Pressley he spent the rest of the 2015/16 season on-loan at Scottish Championship side Morton.

McManus returned for pre-season but he was sent back out on-loan to the Scottish Championship as he spent the 2016/17 season at Raith Rovers.

The forward played 41 games for Rovers and netted nine times but like Woolford the out of contract Scot will not be returning to Poolfoot Farm for pre-season.

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Six other Town stars are out of contract with David Ball, Godswill Ekpolo, Nick Haughton, Conor McLaughlin, Victor Nirrenold and Jimmy Ryan all offered fresh deals and the club say negotiations are ongoing.

Options in the contracts of full-back Amari’i Bell and midfielder Jack Sowerby have been activated with the duo now under contract until the summer of 2018.

All four of Town’s loan players Huddersfield’s Kyle Dempsey, Liverpool’s Cameron Brannagan, PNE’s Ben Davies and Sheffield United player Kieran Wallace have returned to their parent clubs.

A club spokesman said: “Fleetwood Town would like to thank all departing players for their efforts during their time at the club, and wish them well for the future.”

Players under contract for the 2017/18 season

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Cian Bolger, Wesley Burns, Alex Cairns, Devante Cole, Joe Davis, Michael Duckworth, Ashley Eastham, George Glendon, Bobby Grant, Ashley Hunter, Ricardo Kip, Joe Maguire, Chris Neal, Nathan Pond, Marcus Schwabl.

Options exercised

Amari’i Bell and Jack Sowerby

Offered new contracts with negotiations continuing

David Ball, Godswill Ekpolo, Nick Haughton, Conor McLaughlin, Victor Nirrenold, Jimmy Ryan

Released

Martyn Woolford, Declan McManus

Returning to parent club

Cameron Brannagan, Ben Davies, Kyle Dempsey, Kieran Wallace