Central defender Gerard Nash has been told he will not be offered a new deal when his contract expires at the end of the season. Nash, who made one senior appearance for Town as a sub against Burnley two seasons ago, has been beset by almost constant injury problems during his time with the Blues.

Boss Joe Royle told the 19-year-old the bad news earlier today: "It seemed like a good time to have a chat with Nashy, with the emergence of Chris Casement and the probability of an older centre-half coming in over the summer to put more immediate pressure on Jason De Vos and Richard Naylor, along with Chris.

"Gerard has been a victim of circumstance having had two major knee injuries. We had such high hopes for him and I have no doubt he will make his living in the game at some level or other.

"But the injuries take their toll and we have to make decisions for the club as well as for the player. It's a hard one and it's a sad one but it's done and it gives Gerard a chance to try and get something sorted for his future."

The Irishman is considering the offer of a loan move to Southend for the rest of the season, while former loan club Hartlepool are also interested.

Nash's possible switch and Billy Clarke's decision to join Colchester for a month are expected to be the only moves in or out of Town ahead of today's transfer deadline. Former Blue Wayne Brown was at Playford Road this morning to give the 18-year-old striker a lift to meet his new Layer Road team-mates.

As TWTD reported earlier in the week, Town have released academy trio Stuart Ainsley, Charlie Sheringham and Jack Haverson. Sheringham is continuing a two-week trial at Crystal Palace.

Skipper Jim Magilton has decided not to rejoin Oxford as player-coach, while the Blues have received no new enquiry from Oldham regarding the veteran Northern Irishman. Magilton will leave the Blues when his contract expires in June, probably for a player-coach role somewhere in the North.

The decision to release Nash means that Dean McDonald is the only first team squad member not contracted, expected to sign a new deal or already released. Royle says that the former Arsenal trainee's future is currently under consideration: "It's one we're still looking at. We were willing to let him go to Hartlepool for the right fee [in January] but we've got to sit down and look very closely at Dean.

"Sometimes he does very well in the first team and sometimes we're not that sure there's that much improvement in him. But I would say at the moment the pendulum is tipped in his favour rather than against him."

Midfielder Kevin Horlock, another whose deal with Town ends in June, is already in the second month of a loan spell at Doncaster and is also weighing-up an offer to move to New Zealand, the identity of the interested club currently unconfirmed, although it is most likely to be the New Zealand Knights who play in the newly-formed and otherwise Australian Hyundai A-League.

Rovers are also keen to make the former Northern Irish international a permanent addition to their squad and have offered him a two-year contract.

Aidan Collins, who will also leave Portman Road in the summer, has just started a loan spell at Stockport, while the Blues are yet to decide whether Dean Bowditch, contracted until 2008, will stay with Wycombe for a third month.

Royle has also confirmed that, as TWTD reported a fortnight ago, academy full-back or midfielder Sammy Moore has been offered a one-year professional deal.

The Town manager has been impressed with the number of players progressing from Bryan Klug's youth set-up this season: "The academy has had a fantastic year. I'm told that seven of last year's academy team have played for the senior side this season, which is quite unprecedented."

Charlton central defender Lawrie Wilson, on trial with the Blues for the last fortnight, did not do enough to win himself a deal at Portman Road. The Town boss expects more trialists to try their luck before the end of the season, specifically central defenders in their early 20s.

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