Town boss Paul Jewell says there have been no developments regarding the contract talks with Josh Carson and skipper Grant Leadbitter over the Christmas period. The duo now have less than six months on their deals and — along with 14 other players including Carlos Edwards and Jason Scotland — can now talk to other clubs about summer Bosman moves.

Jewell says discussions are ongoing but with progress appearing to have stalled: “Simon Clegg met with [Carson’s agent] Kevin Moran regarding Josh’s contract before Christmas and there’s been dialogue, and that’s as far as it’s gone on that one.

"I spoke to Grant’s agent last week, but I’ve heard nothing since then.”

With so many players having their deals up in the summer, Jewell admits it’s a difficult situation.

He says he plans to speak to Trinidadian pair Jason Scotland and Carlos Edwards in due course with their representatives having asked for talks a few months ago and having received a response but as yet no firm offer of new deals from chief executive Clegg by email before Christmas.

Edwards has previously been linked with the LA Galaxy and we understand other MLS sides could also show interest. Scotland was a target of Blackpool and other Championship sides in the summer and may be on clubs' radar again this month with the Blues perhaps willing to deal if they have brought in some of the additions Paul Jewell is looking for.

Jewell said: “It’s going to be hard to manage between now and the end of the season with players’ contracts up. We will be speaking to them in the future going forward.

“Both of them are 33 [by the end of the season]. We will be speaking to them. We did offer Carlos a new contract last year but he chose to turn it down and carry on on his current contract. It’s not as if we haven’t tried on that one. We haven’t spoken to the players since last year.”

Midfielder Jamie Griffiths has already left the club and is on trial at Colchester with his contract having been up at the end of December, while Shane O’Connor, at Southend on trial, has been told he will not be offered new terms when his deal is up at the end of June.

Jewell says there are other players he has already decided to release but refused to be drawn on their identities, adding that they weren’t necessarily all young players.

Photo: Action Images

bontcho added 08:04 - Jan 7 That last para must refer to Priskin, surely.
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alsagerblue added 08:04 - Jan 7 I thought this situation wasn't going to be allowed to happen again!?
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Fartman added 08:26 - Jan 7 Chatty man...
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floridaboy added 08:35 - Jan 7 Edwards and Scotland = bye bye!! Would like to see Carson sign but it might not be the clubs fault. If they have been talking to his agent and his agent has had words with other interested clubs maybe the agent is stalling because he knows that within six months he can talk to other clubs and can make more money out of him!
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WarkyWonderLand added 08:36 - Jan 7 As he has said, he has learnt from his mistakes! Inspires confidence.......
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WorcesterBlue added 08:39 - Jan 7 Same all over again! If I ran my company like this I'd be bankrupt - for once not Jewell's fault: CLEGG!!!!!!!
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SWGF added 08:42 - Jan 7 Such a shame that this situation has only just come to light. I'm sure had we known this was due to happen for the last year or two, we'd have had it sorted well in advance. And if we'd maybe had suffered from a lack of action previously,we could've learnt from that.
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ericgates added 08:49 - Jan 7 Its a sad situation, because of the 14, I don't mind if any of them stay or go. I really wanted Norris and Macauley last summer, bu theres none of that this year for me.
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Mark added 08:50 - Jan 7 Leadbitter and Carson should have been signed up last summer or transfer listed and sold. If £2.7M Leadbitter follows £2M Norris and £1.1M McAuley in leaving for free, that is £5.8M of talent that has walked away for nothing. £5.8M is nearly twice what Jewell has spent on transfer fees altogether!! No wonder we are in a mess.
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hogster1970 added 08:51 - Jan 7 if we dont sign carson then clegg needs shooting , simples
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RetroBlue added 09:25 - Jan 7 Here we go all over again then. Summer will see yet more wholesale changes and upheaval at the Club. Will this constant shifting sands, and instability continue ad nausesium at the Club now. It will end in one thing only, relegation !
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Karlosfandangal added 09:26 - Jan 7 If you offer player one year contracts then its always going to happen. Edwards and Scotland should have been offered new contracts before christmas and if they did not sign then put up in Jan window, like Derby has for Green. If the club has spoken to them a few months ago why has it Clegg this long to offer contracts or are we waiting to see who we get in the Jan window and if we get no one offer the players we have contracts. But it was never going to happen again they said last year

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newboy added 09:36 - Jan 7 So PJ came in slagged off RK to the press because he let contracts run down and the idiot does exactly the same - would not blame carson for going why would he want to stay here and sit on the bench for an idiot manager who claimed he had a 5 year plan then this week said he changed the plan for older experienced players and his plan was wrong, LETS HAVE A MANAGER WHO DOES KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING and I hope you go to a club/manager who can push you on carson

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Kuqicoo added 09:46 - Jan 7 Here we go again. Is it any wonder we are losing money when we buy player for 1 million or 2 million and then year or 2 later they walk away for nothing! Why is this not being sorted? Players no longer feel needed and we just leave them hanging..nice. I despair at the running of our club I really do. And its not Cleggs fault? Hmmm...only seems to have happened since he arrived!

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Mungo added 09:50 - Jan 7 Contract negotiations with Leadbitter and Carson have been going on for around 6 months now and if they wanted to sign, they would have signed already. The club shouldn't be held to ransom by players who have underperformed (spectacularly). If they are not going to sign, they should be replaced as soon as possible and sold this month (if any takers can be found).
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IvorFeeling added 10:11 - Jan 7 Dear PJ Stick to your 5 year plan (while you can) and identify the players you want playing for you who are currently in the squad for the next three years. Dear Simon work through PJs list de-risking by given those players 3-5 year deals. Each contract should include a win bonus, a bonus for reaching the top 6 spots in the championship and clearly a measured uplift for promotion. By doing this you protect the club from losing talent, especially young talent. FFS have you not learnt a jot since being here? Strong case of the Peter principle I suggest.

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jas0999 added 10:13 - Jan 7 NOT PJ's fault. It amazes me when people on here say Clegg is doing a good job and not to blame. The CEO is in charge of monitoring the contractual situation - he failed last year and has done nothing to improve this year. ME must surely act soon - how much longer can he allow assets to leave for nothing? Clegg needs to pull his finger out. This club is in a complete mess. Poor manager, dreadfully inept CEO and an owner who doesn't seem to care less or is so deluded he can not see what a serious situation we are in.

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itfc1981 added 10:15 - Jan 7 For Christ sake let Leadbitter go, give him a free if you have to just get him off the wage bill. He has been a pointless player for three years now.
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RYITFC added 10:15 - Jan 7 With the exception of Carson i'm really not bothered. None of them have performed well consistently, all of them have let the club down at times, none of them deserve new deals.
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davidsc1971 added 11:03 - Jan 7 So in summary: the team's performance is PJ's fault, the contract situation is Clegg's fault and it's ME's fault for continuing to fund this shambles without any apparent shred of accountability from either. At least the turnstiles look nice. They'll be the best ones in League 1.
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Essexnblue added 11:20 - Jan 7 How can it be Cleggs fault? Its the way this business has changed, the players hold all of the cards, if you get 15% of your transfer fee, the average fee from a transfer in this division would see the player earn 150k. An average player can double his wages by running his contract down and signing on a Bossie with another club. How did Tranmere feel about Cresswell or Reading with Sonko? Its football and its changed and while houses are cheap and in an accessible market, the only thing that will keep a player at a club for a long period is his wife or schooling.

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MattinLondon added 11:27 - Jan 7 Keep Carson...surly he can't really be demanding that much? Keep the younger players and the rest can all go. Leadbitter is average in an average team. There are clubs all over Europe that are in deep financial trouble -a good tactic might be to see what players they have as they will probably be desperate to reduce their wage bill. Hearts is one such club in Scotland. But guess that this is easier said then done.

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IvorFeeling added 12:35 - Jan 7 Essexblue seems strange that for the past 3 seasons we have had this contractual mess and it doesn't happen to any other club on the same scale. Hate to say it but look at Norwich for their dealings, bought, sold and let go - the are far better run and that is with a cook in charge!
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Guthrum added 12:54 - Jan 7 If Carson won't sign, we can't make him. Certainly we should not be giving players blank cheques just to keep them at the club - there's no-one here THAT good. As to the the whingeing about the number of players out of contract, would you offer someone in their early 30s on a free longer than just the one year to see how they get on?
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suffolk_punch added 13:21 - Jan 7 typical of how this club has been run for the last 3 or 4 yrs ,it really doesnt matter who the manager is , until Evans and Clegg go it will continue .
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