Blues boss Mick McCarthy says he’s in no hurry to offer Town’s out of contract players new terms. Lee Martin, Andy Drury, Arran Lee-Barrett, Carlos Edwards, Jason Scotland, Nathan Ellington, Jack Ainsley, Cormac Burke, Ronan Murray and Joe Whight all have deals which are up at the end of June.

The Town manager has already confirmed that Scotland is likely to move on during this window - with Wolves, Brighton and Preston all interested - while Ellington, who has just returned from a loan spell at Scunthorpe, and several others seem unlikely to be kept on.

McCarthy said: “I’ve been in this business long enough and when you start giving players new contracts now they suddenly think ‘That’s nice, I’m here for the next three years’ and don’t run around as much as they did.

“I’ve experienced that. I’m not saying these players would do that, but I’ve experienced it with players and I’m not going to have that.”

He says that the likes of Martin and Drury who are currently around the first team aren’t going to be moved on during this window: “They’re not going to be sold, they’re going to stay here and we’ll negotiate with them for new contracts when the time comes.

“If we’re safe with a whole clatter of games to go, then we might start talking about it. What you have to understand is that it also gives me the opportunity to have a clean slate and start again.

“And it’s not going to be easy for players in the summer with the Financial Fair Play rules. I can see it already happening.

“There are a hell of a lot of players coming out of contract all around the country at different clubs and there are lots of them offering players less than they are on now.

“Now, a sure-fire way to piss players off is to offer them less than what they’re on already. I’m quite happy just to let them run out.”

This situation means that there are likely to be plenty of Championship players out of contract in the summer, something which could work in McCarthy’s favour as he looks to add to his squad during the close season.

The Blues boss doesn’t anticipate having any problems luring signings to Town: “The money generally decides where players are going to go, but the manager has an impact on that, the coaching staff, the ground, the fans, the area and we’re all right in some of those aspects, we do OK.

“So, in terms of attracting players, I don’t think there’s a problem with that. And then competing with the clubs that we need to compete with regarding wages, then we can do that.

“It gives us an opportunity, it’s not just carte blanche for the players to go ‘Wa-hey, I’m out of contract’, there’ll be players that don’t get clubs this year, from different clubs.

“There’ll be players who will let their contracts run out but the tide is changing. Where players want to sign a new contract, they want to know that they are under contract, they want to make sure, unless they’re the very, very top ones who know they’re going to command an unbelievable Bosman move.”

Despite other clubs being financially better off than the Blues, McCarthy isn't complaining and is confident that Town will be able to compete in the Championship next season, if they confirm their position in the division.

“I knew what I was getting into when I came here,” he said. ”I don’t go anywhere and start bitching about it. If we stay up, who’s to say what can happen next season?

“And we’re all going to have our wings clipped with the Financial Fair Play rules, so it’s not going be that anybody can keep throwing money at it, it’s going to be about teams having to be coached, managed, picking players and being clever at picking players.

“I’ve done that before, so maybe one or two will be whinging at me next season, who knows.”

Meanwhile, jockey Andrew Heffernan was the only defendant to turn up to first day of the British Horseracing Authority hearing into the race fixing charges also made against Michael Chopra.

The Town striker previously made a statement outlining why he wouldn't be appearing at the inquiry, which is expected to last 10 days.

Photo: Action Images

bedsitfc added 06:09 - Jan 15 Out of all them players listed above I don't think I would be worried at any of them leaving
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BelsteadCav added 06:24 - Jan 15 So all this "we can't attract players because of the area" by Jewell and Keane was bollox . But we knew that already . Nobody wanted to play for them . Mick is the best thing to happen to Town since Marcus Stewart signed , in that excited
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floridaboy added 06:24 - Jan 15 Have to agree. Cannot see any of them here next season Can see Carson being offloaded as well. Three year deal and has up to now done nothing to justify it!
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Sindre94 added 06:31 - Jan 15 Can anyone ask mick about the chance of us signing Ndaw??
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Dissboyitfc added 07:17 - Jan 15 None of those players, represent any part of the back bone we have started to build so no real losses there. I like the way MM does his business, he is the boss.....the players know that, they were just plain scared of keane and had lost all respect for jewell it seems. Expect a totally different team next season....coyb
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ViperFm123 added 07:51 - Jan 15 Micks getting Fiesty!
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bigolconnor added 07:53 - Jan 15 Sindre. N'Daw has not really ever been given a mention by either Jewell or MM. It seems very strange as he's been one of our best players. Maybe he wants a massive wage.
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bigolconnor added 07:56 - Jan 15 And in terms or players being out of contract at the end of the season; N'Daw and Murphy both are. As well as possibly Kisnorbo, Wellens, Orr?
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Len_Brennan added 07:57 - Jan 15 Absolutely agree Dissboy. He is very smart is Mick. In one quick interview he has managed to put things into perspective in terms of the balance of power & given some of our 'supetstars' food for thought. You get the sense that he's no bluffer & won't cave into any unreasonable demands. He also knows what he wants for his team & where else he can go to find it.
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muccletonjoe added 08:37 - Jan 15 I guess i wouldnt be too worried about those players leaving either
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:40 - Jan 15 Len_Brennan: I absolutely agree with you & Dissboy! Mick makes things happen. He doesn't talk about making things happen. I'm very impressed. I hope the good feeling will continue.
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bluemikey100 added 09:01 - Jan 15 these players gotta prove worth contract apart from edwards who played well but is getting older mick wants young hungry players
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StuartBrett8 added 09:16 - Jan 15 Erm... how come big Mick is allowed to swear on TWTD and we can't ;)
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mawwam added 09:18 - Jan 15 Out of all them I'd like to see Martin, Edwards and Ainsley stay. Ainsley is a competent back up to have, even if he is out on loan with a call back clause. Edwards is still good and if he can carry on then why not, could always be a good player to have on the bench at least. Not too worried on the rest though.
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will444 added 09:23 - Jan 15 skysports news say ainsleys been handed 5 year dealworth 3,000,000. ALB is attracting clubs from liga BBVA
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theobald1985 added 09:35 - Jan 15 agree with mawwam on those three players martin and edwards have a role to play if the price is right and ainsley is a decent young player
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Vic added 09:45 - Jan 15 Martin, Drury & Edwards are the only ones worth keeping. Whight is OK, but not sure we'll need him. We're in a much better position than the last couple of years and as mick says - we can make this contract situation work for us just as much as against us.
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Fatcatevans added 10:12 - Jan 15 At last footballers have to join the real world! They have had it too good for too long especially our under performing outfit. All those mentioned by MM can leave and we will be just fine. I'm amazed at all the sympathy for Martin who has no end product whatsoever
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bluemikey100 added 10:15 - Jan 15 says in sun newspaper we gonna sign wordsworth today for 200,000 twtd rumour weekens so fingers crossed gonna happen
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i_like_that_bolder added 10:16 - Jan 15 None of them have demonstrated they are worth keeping, Murray and Ainsley should have been making appearances more regularly by now if they were good enough, Edwards and Scotland are on their last legs and not worth the wages any more and Drury just isn't quite there for this level. No need to comment on Ellington, and Martin has the most ability but it looks like he might want too big a contract and it's not like he's winning games for us single handedly.

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JewellintheTown added 10:19 - Jan 15 @belsteadbill - MM said "“The money generally decides where players are going to go, but the manager has an impact on that, the coaching staff, the ground, the fans, the area and we're all right in some of those aspects, we do OK." Note the bit about "we're alright in SOME of those areas ..., we DO OK". Money, Manager, Coaching and probably the ground are the "some of those" that he's taking about, that leaves fans and the area - I'd say the fans on the whole are good ones with a few Ar**h***s that claim to be fans (like all other clubs), so what does that leave? He didnt say that the area was brilliant so your comment of ""we can't attract players because of the area" by Jewell and Keane was bollox " is a little exagerated. Take from Micks comment what you will, but that ones open to a lot of interpretation.

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jas0999 added 10:22 - Jan 15 I guess Edwards deserves a new deal. Drury possibly also, although personally I think we could do better. MM clearly has a plan / strategy and in order to achieve that, many / most of these players may go.
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bluemingood added 10:28 - Jan 15 Well said Vic. Saves me typing.
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RedDust added 10:30 - Jan 15 Look at the size of Lee Martins head compared to his face it's tiny, I guess thats why he lacks that final killer ball.. he does'nt have a footballing brain!!
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nitroblue1970 added 10:43 - Jan 15 hmmmm....in no hurry..or not actually botherd?....cant see any of these staying here beyond the close season! Mick will get in his own players and releasing these guys will give him more wriggle room. Would any of them be a big loss? Really?
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