TWTD understands that Ronan Murray, Joe Whight and Cormac Burke are amongst a number of fringe players to have been told that they will not be offered new contracts in the summer. The trio's current terms are up at the end of June.

Republic of Ireland U21 international Murray, who is currently on loan at Plymouth, made one start and 13 sub appearances for the Town first team, scoring one goal, having joined the academy after leaving school. The 21-year-old striker has also spent time on loan at Torquay and Swindon.

Former Copleston High School pupil Whight, who is on loan with Blue Square South side Chelmsford for the rest of the season, was on the bench for the first team on a number of occasions but didn’t make it on to the pitch. The 19-year-old joined the academy when he was 12.

Northern Irish U19 international Cormac Burke, 19, joined the academy as a full-time scholar after leaving school and made his only first team appearance as an 89th minute sub in the Capital One Cup tie at home to Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the season.

The other first team squad members whose contracts are up in the summer are Lee Martin, Andy Drury, Arran Lee-Barrett, Jack Ainsley and recent signing Jason Brown, while Gunnar Thorsteinsson's academy terms also come to an end.

Manager Mick McCarthy is unlikely to make any decisions on senior players until the club's divisional status for next season is confirmed.

Photo: Action Images

ippy4life added 11:11 - Apr 4 At least Mick is getting rid of the players that are just wasting money. They were never going to be any good, the highlight of their career will be in league 2!!!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:11 - Apr 4 Fair enough. If Murray (21 years old) was going to make it with us, he would probably have done so by now. If you're 18 and good enough, you're old enough. That's not to deny that some players need longer to mature, so I wish them all well in their future careers.
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alfromcol added 11:12 - Apr 4 It's tough becoming a top professional footballer. For every 1 that makes it 100's fall by the wayside. Good luck lads.
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JimmyJazz added 11:14 - Apr 4 So is Josh Carson in the running for League 2 player of the month? Didn't think so. Is Ronan? As he actually scored for Plymouth? Once.
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homer_123 added 11:15 - Apr 4 @Steve_ITFC_Sweden - just a small point. Many thought that Tommy Smith wasn't worth persevering with...
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ippy4life added 11:25 - Apr 4 I think we should go for the Polish wonderkid Strapasnokovski, seen him play a couple of times and has never failed to score in a game!! and he is only 16. We should definitely look at getting him
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62WasBest added 11:28 - Apr 4 This headline is a bit disconcerting. When it says, "understands" does it mean that this is unofficial, but the players themselves have already been told, or does it mean that TWTD days has learnt it but doesn't know if if the players have been told yet? I hope it is the former, because if it was my job that I was losing I'd prefer to know before anyone else.
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62WasBest added 11:28 - Apr 4 Whoops! Re-read the article so ignore my comment please.
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shefkuqi32 added 11:40 - Apr 4 Are these players not good enough or not really getting a chance? Nice to see Luke Hyam is settling into 1st team action, hopefully a few more over the years to come.
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Special_A added 11:54 - Apr 4 Mick will play young players that are good enough but he isn't sentimental. Anyone he doesn't see as a potential first team player will go.
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Guthrum added 11:57 - Apr 4 Shame, really. But not everyone can make it and better that they're released to continue their careers elsewhere (as more attractive free transfers) than left to rot in our reserves. Best wishes to all three for the future.
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daniel9624 added 12:07 - Apr 4 Not sure you can compare Tommy Smith to any of these TBH, Centre backs are notorious for taking longer to mature into first team players, the position is more cerebral than the players are given credit for. Murray has been poor for Plymouth, and did very little at Swindon last seaon, Whight is not exactly flying at Chelmsford, and Burke is not even close. So comparisons between these guys and either Smith or Hyam is a little far reaching. THat said I wish these young men all the best, but am pretty sure none of them will prove MM wrong.

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theobald1985 added 12:08 - Apr 4 the problem is the overall size of squads now.used to have say 15-16 senoir players and any injurys after that a youngster would be thrown i for a period of games and he woulkd sink or swim. its partly due to the pressure on managers to get results or get the sack so they are nervous about using youngsters.they will get a senior player on an emergancy loan rather than use a young academy player. i think some of these young lads we see released could be very good players and i hope they find clubs. if ronan can go into the conferance and score 25 goals he will be back in the championship in a couple of years and i for 1 would love to see it

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ChrisMakin2012 added 12:13 - Apr 4 No love loss, although was expecting one of these names to be McLean.
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ALF added 12:27 - Apr 4 McLean is only on loan
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Garv added 12:39 - Apr 4 Real shame. Murray has been with us for years but unfortunately just never stepped up after looking promising for so long. Didn't think we'd give up on Whight so soon, he was meant to be the next big thing and supposedly had the likes of Arsenal after him. Gutted for him. Not a lot has ever been made of Burke has it?
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Smithy added 12:43 - Apr 4 I'd be surprised if Ainsley is kept on, having been sent out on loan to Chelmsford and already had trials at both Preston and Bury, plus the likes of Hewitt and Edwards ahead of him in the pecking order at present.
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jas0999 added 12:51 - Apr 4 For the first time in many years I have 100% faith in our manager to make the right call. Inevitably some players will not have contracts renewed.
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Warkys_Tash added 13:28 - Apr 4 Shame but Murray always looked a bit lightweight, lots of huff and puff & workrate but not much end product. Lets hope he can go on somewhere else and still carve out a career for himself.
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PunchNoHopers added 13:38 - Apr 4 Surprised by Whight let's hope it doesn't come back to haunt us, but not the others though!
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StowTractorBoy added 13:53 - Apr 4 When you have the physique of Murray you have to be exceptional and I for one never rated him although of course I supported him and wanted him to succeed. Unfortunately he has not cut it on loans either so have to support Mick with this decision. Not surprised about the others either but good luck to them all.
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CanadianBlue added 14:02 - Apr 4 All the best to them.
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bluemikey100 added 14:05 - Apr 4 dont get rid MARRIOTT he scorin plenty dont want another rhodes situation
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Sindre94 added 14:15 - Apr 4 Not too bothered, theyve always been around but never given a proper chance. Wish them all the best anyway, hope they make it as pros!
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daniel9624 added 14:18 - Apr 4 Being reported Ainsley and Thorsteinson have been sent packing too
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