News from Gills opponents for next season...
Richard Day catches up with the latest news from the League One clubs that the Gills will definitely be playing against next season… the final places will be taken by the losers of the League One Play-Off Final between Brentford and Yeovil Town and the winner from Bradford City and Northampton Town who meet in the League Two final.Bristol City – The Robins have released seven players in the wake of their relegation from the Championship in May. Those departing Ashton Gate are Matthew Bates, Lewis Carey, Dean Gerken, Brian Howard, Cole Skuse, Jon Stead and Mark Wilson.
However head coach Sean O’Driscoll has offered new deals to goalkeeper Tom Heaton along with defenders Louis Carey and Lewin Nyatanga.
Carlisle United – Cumbrians boss Greg Abbott has also released seven players after the club’s xx place finish in 2012-13. Leaving Brunton Park are Adam Collin, Rory Loy, Mathieu Manset, JP McGovern, Peter Murphy, Frank Simek and Andy Welsh.
Top scorer Lee Miller and winger Matty Robson have been offered one and two-year contract extensions respectively while Danny Livesey, Paul Thirlwell and Josh Todd have been offered new one-year contracts.
Colchester United – Defender Matt Heath has been released by U’s manager Joe Dunne but he has offered new deals to Mark Cousins and John White.
Coventry City – The Sky Blues are currently planning for a future away from their 32,000-capacity Ricoh Arena home after being “locked out” of the ground with Birmingham City, Leicester City and Walsall being named as possible venues.
This has come about due to an on-going rent row with Arena Coventry Limited who manage the stadium on behalf of its owners.
The Sky Blues chief executive Tim Fisher said: "It is with great regret that we now have no alternative but to consider other arrangements for next season."
However in a counter statement, ACL said it would be "delighted" if Coventry played at the Ricoh next season and James Powell of law firm Walker Morris, representing ACL, countered: "We are absolutely flabbergasted by Tim Fisher's statement.
"So that there can be no doubt in the minds of Sky Blues supporters, ACL have not locked the football club out of the Ricoh Arena.
"ACL have consistently acted to try to save the football club and to ensure that the football club continues to play at the Ricoh Arena.
"Indeed, ACL has already committed a significant level of funding to ensure that the pitch is improved for next season, after the club ceased to commit investment in the pitch towards the end of last season.
"So that there can be no doubt whatsoever among Sky Blues fans, ACL would be delighted for Coventry City Football Club to play at the Ricoh Arena next season. Nobody connected to the football club has yet approached ACL in this regard."
The cash-strapped club, who went into administration last season, ended the campaign with a 34-man playing squad but City boss Steven Pressley has begun his summer overhaul.
He has announced that Nathan Cameron, Stephen Elliott, Danny Philliskirk, Jordan Stewart and Richard Wood will not be offered new deals and loanee’s James Bailey and Callum Ball have returned to Derby County.
The Scot does however hope to tie up a new deal for defender Aaron Martin who had arrived on loan from Southampton in February.
Crawley Town – Vic Marley, who first joined the board in 1999 and has been Chairman for the last six years overseeing the club’s rise from non-league soccer, has stepped down and was replaced by Dave Pottinger.
Manager Richie Barker has released Lateef Elford-Alliyu and Shaun Cooper while Matt Sparrow will also leave after contract talks broke down.
Talks are continuing with Mustapha Dumbaya but Louis John, Johnny Maddison, Alex Malins and Jonte Smith have agreed one-year deals to remain at Broadfield Stadium and captain Josh Simpson has signed for two years.
Crewe Alexandra – Young striker AJ Leitch-Smith has had his contract at Gresty Road extended for a further season while Ollie Turton and Jon Guthrie have both been offered new deals.
Boss Steve Davis hopes to sign on-loan Newcastle United midfielder Brad Inman on a permanent deal as his contract expires at St James' Park this summer.
The Alex have however decided not to offer new deals to four youngsters - Paris Bateman, Harry Clayton, Brendon Daniels and Andy White.
Leyton Orient – Defenders Scott Cuthbert and Elliott Omozusi have both penned new contracts with the O’s, two and one-year respectively, while Romain Vincelot and David Mooney have both begun negotiations with the club.
However, at this time, Lee Butcher, Lee Cook, Charlie MacDonald, Leon McSweeney, Martin Rowlands and Jimmy Smith have not been offered new contracts.
MK Dons – Manager Karl Robinson has decided to take up one-year options on the deals of striker Dean Bowditch and defender Shaun Williams, both 26, with their contracts due to expire at the end of the season.
Notts County – Eight players have been offered new deals at Meadow Lane, these are Yoann Arquin, Haydn Hollis, Jeff Hughes, Joss Labadie, Alan Sheehan, Greg Tempest, Curtis Thompson and Tyrell Waite but deals for Gavin Mahon and Krystian Pearce depend on budget issues.
Leaving the Magpies, where chairman Ray Trew has cut new manager Chris Kiwomya’s budget by 30%, are Hamza Bencherif, Alan Judge, Julian Kelly, Liam Mitchell and Jake Wholey.
Oldham Athletic – New Latics boss Gary Johnson has released five players from his squad at Boundary Park - Dean Bouzanis, Connor Hughes, Liam Jacob, Robbie Simpson and Daniel Taylor.
Oldham have taken up the option to extend the deals of Glenn Belezika, Connor Brown and Cliff Byrne by a further year, contract offers have been made to David Mellor, Kirk Millar, James Tarkowski and Carl Winchester while discussions are currently ongoing with Alex Cisak, Lee Croft, Jean-Yves M'voto and Matt Smith.
Peterborough United – Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony has stated that manager Darren Ferguson will not be leaving the club despite their relegation from the Championship.
MacAnthony said "Darren Ferguson will not be going to any other club & is already planning with me about our title push next season."
Port Vale – Defender Darren Purse is one of four players to be released by Valiants boss Micky Adams as he prepares for life in League One next season. The other three are Calvin Andrew, Kingsley James and Clayton McDonald.
Experienced striker Lee Hughes, who joined the club in January, has triggered a clause in his contract that would see him automatically retained if Vale were promoted – he has been rewarded with a new 12-month deal.
Ten players, who see their current deals expire on June 30, have been offered new deals to remain at Vale Park, Sam Johnson, Dan Jones, Doug Loft, Sam Morsy, Ashley Vincent and Ben Williamson all being offered two-year deals.
Louis Dodds and Adam Yates have been offered one-year deals, with an option for a second, while mid-season arrivals Liam Chilvers and Chris Birchall are both considering 12-month deals.
Preston North End – Luke Foster has been released by Lilywhites boss Simon Grayson while Chris Beardsley, Andy Procter and Chris Robertson, who all have 12 months remaining on their current deals, can leave if a suitable offer is received.
Bailey Wright has signed a new two-year contract with the club who also want German keeper Thorsten Stuckmann to remain at Deepdale.
Rotherham United – Experienced keeper Andy Warrington is one of three players to be departing the New York Stadium following their promotion to League One - the other two are Dale Tonge and Alec Denton.
The Millers have handed Mark Bradley and Mitchell Rose contract extensions while boss Steve Evans is also expected to complete the signing of Joe Skarz who ended the season on loan in South Yorkshire from Bury. The full-back will sign a two-year deal once his Shakers contract expires this month.
Sheffield United – At the time of writing Oxford United manager Chris Wilder was the favourite to be named the new boss at Bramall Lane. Former Blade Wilder heads a list including Stuart McCall, Gareth Southgate, Neil Warnock and current caretaker manager Chris Morgan to replace Danny Wilson who parted company with United in April.
Shrewsbury Town – Matt Richards is one of five players who have not had their contracts renewed at the Greenhous Meadow. The skipper is joined by Ryan Doble, Marvin Morgan, Rob Purdie and Mark Wright.
Six players have been offered new deals - Tom Bradshaw, Connor Goldson, Jermaine Grandison, Jon Taylor, Ryan Woods and Aaron Wildig while Joe Jacobsen has triggered a clause for another 12-month deal.
Stevenage – Boro’ boss Graham Westley, who returned to the Lamex Stadium in March, has revealed that planning for the 2013-14campaign is well under way with several additions to the squad going to be revealed imminently.
Swindon Town – Following the Robins defeat on penalties to Brentford in the League One play-off semi-finals it is believed the club have halved their playing budget for next season to around the £2m mark.
Five players have been released by Town - Joe Devera, Simon Ferry, Tommy Miller, Raffaele De Vita and Chris Smith will all be leaving the County Ground.
Leigh Bedwell, Aden Flint, Miles Storey and Nathan Thompson have all been retained and captain Alan McCormack remains in talks over a new deal.
Tranmere Rovers – Veteran defender Ian Goodison has signed a new one-year contract while Zoumana Bakayogo, Jason Mooney, Andy Robinson and Owain Fon Williams have also been offered new deals.
However David Amoo, Paul Black, Danny Harrison, Michael Kay and Adam McGurk will leave Prenton Park.
Walsall – Saddlers boss Dean Smith is in negotiations with strikers Fabien Brandy and Will Grigg along with Adam Chambers.
There are also deals on the table for Chambers' twin brother James, Ben Purkiss and Craig Westcarr but George Bowerman, Jake Jones, Richard Taundry, Connor Taylor and Aaron Williams have all been let go.
Wolverhampton Wanderers – After Wolves suffered a second successive relegation manager Dean Saunders has been sacked after just 20 games in charge – their fourth boss in 15 months. The Welshman had only taken charge at Molineux in January after leaving Doncaster Rovers.
Chief executive Jez Moxey has stated that the club will be going down the head coach route rather than a traditional first-team manager. Whoever gets the job, Kenny Jackett is the current favourite with the bookies, will have the responsibility of sorting out the club’s retained list with 13 out-of-contract players at the club including Christophe Berra, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Jody Craddock and Stephen Hunt.