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Northampton Town boss Stuart Gray has announced that a number of players will be leaving the club at the end of the season as he looks to strengthen the squad for the 2008/2009 campaign.

Of the out of contract players, Andy Holt and Ryan Gilligan will be offered new terms, but there will be no new contract offer to Poul Hubertz, Joe Burnell, Brett Johnson and Danny May. Those players will leave the club after the game with Tranmere Rovers on May 3rd.

No decision has yet been made on Adebayo Akinfenwa.

"The lads who will not be offered new terms have contributed to our progress to some degree this season and we thank them for that," said the Cobblers manager.

"I have nothing but praise for them and the commitment they have shown and it is always sad when you have to tell a player that they are being released, but hopefully by making these decisions public a few weeks early we will give them and their agents a head start to find new clubs before the summer scramble starts.

"If we are to continue to try and move forward, we need to create room in the squad to try and improve. I am working to a budget and to try and continue our progress within that budget I need to free up space to bring new players in who I hope can take us to the next level.

"The lads being released are now free to look at their options and I will be only too happy to give those players a good reference. But, until the end of the season they remain contracted to Northampton Town and I am sure that those players will continue to give their all when called upon.

"Ryan Gilligan and Andy Holt deserve their contract offers and we hope that they will accept the terms offered."

Under the terms of the Football League re-engagement procedure, the out of contract players have until June 17 to respond to their contract offers. Before this date the club can increase the contract offer, but cannot reduce or withdraw.

PLAYERS ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT FOR 2008/2009; Mark Bunn, Jason Crowe, Danny Jackman, Mark Hughes, Gabor Gyepes, Chris Doig, Giles Coke, Colin Larkin, Ian Henderson, Chris Dunn, Liam Dolman, Alex Dyer, Ritchie Jones, Greg Taylor.

PLAYERS OUT OF CONTRACT WHO WILL BE OFFERED NEW TERMS: Ryan Gilligan, Andy Holt

PLAYERS OUT OF CONTRACT WHO WILL NOT BE OFFERED NEW TERMS: Poul Hubertz, Joe Burnell, Brett Johnson, Danny May.

DECISION PENDING: Adebayo Akinfenwa