Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that skipper David Norris and key defender Gareth McAuley are leaving the club with their contracts up at the end of June. The Blues offered the duo new terms before Christmas which were turned down, and despite talks continuing in recent weeks, the pair have decided to move on.

Jewell said: "It's unfortunate because we would have liked to have kept them. The club made them fair offers but the players are entitled to do what's best for them and their families.

"We offered Gareth the deal he wanted but in the meantime he had been contacted by other clubs and it looks like he may be joining a Premier League side.

"It was an offer that was too good for him to turn down and we wish him well. Chuck has other offers on the table as well and they are worth him taking.

"We are sorry to see them go but life goes on and we are already down the line in looking at players to replace them."

Captain Norris, this season’s top scorer on 11, joined the Blues from Plymouth after a protracted transfer saga in January 2008 for a fee of £2.2 million. The 30-year-old made 114 starts and four substitute appearances while at Portman Road, netting 16 times.

Portsmouth are believed to be the favourites for the Peterborough-born midfielder’s signature, although Wigan, Crystal Palace, Leeds and Nottingham Forest are all thought to be interested. Norris is understood to have been offered a three-year contract elsewhere, while only two seasons were on the table at Town.

McAuley, like Norris a Jim Magilton recruit after being chased for some months, signed for £1.1 million in the summer of 2008. The Northern Irish international, who was Town’s skipper for a spell, made 126 starts and one appearance from the bench, scoring eight goals.

The 31-year-old had previously been tipped for a switch to SPL giants Rangers.

Photo: Action Images

rob_flecks_waistline added 15:03 - May 9 for does with macca, was never going to turn down prem.. still surprised the club wouldn't offer norris 3 years, had a decent season so?..
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bontcho added 15:03 - May 9 I can understand McAuley moving to Bolton or Rangers, but Norris to Crystal Palace? Really? Doesn't seem an upgrade to me!
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JTL279 added 15:03 - May 9 Thanks for your efforts - these were never in question. Good luck.
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urbanblue added 15:03 - May 9 See ya lads and all the best. We look forward and move on !
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hampstead_blue added 15:04 - May 9 Who? Forgotten them already.
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yarmoblue added 15:04 - May 9 i hope you get what you deserve the pair of ya..........
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ReydonBlue added 15:07 - May 9 Ta ta........onward we will go
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tractorgirl2 added 15:07 - May 9 Shame but not a shock, and we move on..
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E3Blue added 15:08 - May 9 McAuley will get found out in the prem big time... Can't see him keeping up with players such as Hernandez.
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makaloon added 15:09 - May 9 I was suffering from Monday blues until I heard this.
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Mungo added 15:13 - May 9 A big loss. Both key players and will be missed next year. Best wishes to both... The financial mismanagement of allowing their contracts to expire is almost criminal. Hopefully SC will learn from this and decisions will be made on those players whose contracts are expiring next year now - Sign up or ship out... On the plus side, the wages that will be freed up will allow PJ to really put his stamp on the team. Bring on Jason De Vos mk2!

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naa added 15:13 - May 9 Expected news I guess, sorry to see Mac go and Norris always gave his all. Interesting stat though that despite Norris being our top scorer this year he still only scored 8 more goals than Mac in 12 more starts! We should have been playing Mac up front.
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evansblue added 15:16 - May 9 Its time we re-built the team and lets be honest we have not exactly done much with these guys in the team over the last 3 years which have been the dullest ever. I wish them all the best none the less and thank them for their efforts but there are plenty of players out there who I am sure will relish joining us.
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tractorboybig added 15:16 - May 9 If you cant hold on to the players you have when the manager has made it quite clear he would like them to stay, then the chances of bringing players in to make us a promotion chasing side are extremely remote. If the truth was really known the aim is just to keep this club in the championship, let the manager and clegg spout the bull SH*t so that season tickets are sold. the more you hear the less of a villian mr keen is becoming.

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bedsitfc added 15:17 - May 9 g.mac will never be a premier defender so i hope that he is going to rangers as they only have one team to worry about. as for norris i understand he wants a 3 year deal but i think he has found the top end of his level with town, had a good season in a formation that suited him but we will be changing our formation in the summer. sorry to see the pair go but we can and will find better.

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Legend added 15:17 - May 9 Forget them fools and move on! We only want players here who feel proud to wear the shirt and give 100% every single game. Both can be replaced quite easily.
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phumph added 15:19 - May 9 Wigan if they stay up, ok, Forrest if they go up, ok, can understand that, but Pompey and Leeds?? Really!! GM will be found wanting in the PL, but may be ok in the SPL. So long and farewell
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paul73 added 15:20 - May 9 Not really bothered by losing these two,as jewel has stated" these group of players not good enough to take us forward. Norris,a good steady champ player,but not top end and mcauley,decent defender,but so slow,gets caught out at this level. Only downside is,there will be no transfer fee. I look forward to some new blood coming in and hopefula big improvement on the last couple of seasons.

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alanbrazilnuts added 15:20 - May 9 I have to say that Norris has annoyed me slightly as when he was nearly out for the full season last year he was very much thanks Ipswich blah blah blah and now just after money money money !! How is Palace a good move for him if thts where he goes ! As for Mc if premier league fair crack but think it must be more as a squad than a guaranteed started unless they say premier league which currently means Blackpool !!!

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purplesprouting added 15:20 - May 9 not sorry in the least, both medicore at best.
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GreenwichBlue added 15:21 - May 9 The only loss is that McAuley made Delaney better. Without him we don't have a central defence now... to go alongside our lack of full backs, central midfielders or strikers. 7 first team players needed at least.
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pennblue added 15:28 - May 9 Agree with overall sentiment that they are average and we can get better..... We need a leader and McCaughley was not enough of one.... as for Norris, well he had his good days no doubt, but he was fairly inconsistent...
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Hungry_Badger added 15:29 - May 9 i dont really minded if they went or not, they are 'good' players not great players that can go on and win you promotion the only thing that has p1ssed me off is that we have let two players that we bought for nearly £3.5 million go for absolutly nothing.
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daniel9624 added 15:33 - May 9 Think now give Troy Brown a go, have seen nothing so far that makes me beleive he won't be able to step up, though not sure DD is the right player to be showing him the opes at this level. We have lots of midfielders already, Hyam, Leadbitter, Healy, Bullard (i have faith), Carson, Hourihane,Drury why stunt the growth of these young guys the only way they get better is by playing. I do agree we need a destroyer in midfield, a general to protect the back four, and allow other other three to be more creative, assuming we play a 4 -4-2 which seems likely

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OsborneOneNil added 15:36 - May 9 Not too fussed by this, to be honest.
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