Town have announced the release of keepers Michael Crowe and Nick Hayes, midfielder James Blanchfield and striker or midfielder Monty Patterson.

Crowe, 22, joined the Blues academy as a full-time scholar from Norwegian side IK Start in 2012 and has been on the bench for the first team on 47 occasions but without ever making his senior debut.

Capped by Wales at U19 and U21 levels, Crowe was recently called into the senior squad for the first time by new manager Ryan Giggs without making his full international bow, but was left out of the squad announced yesterday.

Clacton-based Hayes, 19, who won three England caps at U17 level, has featured for the Blues U23s this season but has not been involved with the senior squad, while Town recently took up the option on fellow young keeper Harry Wright’s contract.

Southend-born Blanchfield, 20, who joined the academy from Arsenal in 2014, has had an injury-hit season and has also been unable to break into the Blues first team. A brief spell on loan at Aldershot after Christmas was curtailed by a knock, the midfielder having made only one sub appearance for the Shots.

New Zealand international Patterson joined Wellington Phoenix in his home country on loan in January with his summer release expected to follow.

The 21-year-old made one senior sub appearance for Town, in the Carabao Cup tie at Crystal Palace in August.

Photo: TWTD

SamWhiteUK added 18:23 - May 17 Can't say I'm surprised... apart from the fact that this is 4/5 players released while without a manager... wouldn't they like to take a look?
6

jas0999 added 18:24 - May 17 I'm not surprised either. This summer will be one of major change.
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wherescounago added 18:29 - May 17 Crowe released and Harry Wright retained??? One's been in an International Squad the other nowhere near the first team. I just hope we don't regret this one.
16

Vancouver_Blue added 18:33 - May 17 Hmmmm I thought Monty Patterson would be one for the future
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leftie1972 added 18:33 - May 17 CROWE being released! going to bite us on the bum. Does the name Nick POPE ring any bells?
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RegencyBlue added 18:39 - May 17 Who is making these decisions? Not saying they are right or wrong but for a club without a manager it seems odd to be doing this before the new guy has a look at them.
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chorltonskylineblue added 18:40 - May 17 @leftie1972 - to be fair, Nick Pope was let go at 16, so perhaps not a fair comparison. At 22, the club should be able to make a decision on Crowe. I'm not saying it's right, just giving it context. We didn't recruit Gazza as a schoolboy (under Bobby Robson) but I think he was about 12 at the time!
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Cheltenham_Blue added 18:42 - May 17 We also passed up on a young Ruud Gullit
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midastouch added 18:43 - May 17 Crowe never even got a chance, absolutely gutted for him. Don't give up MC, just look at what Nick Pope has done and use that as your inspiration. MP never got a look in either come to think about it.
8

PhilTWTD added 18:45 - May 17 RegencyBlue I think Bryan Klug made the decisions as they've been development squad players. Gerard Nash indicated that would be the case, see the end of this: Nash Pleased With U23s' Season 19th Apr 2018 17:25 Town U23s coach Gerard Nash, currently seconded to the senior set-up under caretaker-boss Bryan Klug, says he’s pleased with the way the season has gone for his development squad. 0

6

hampstead_blue added 18:49 - May 17 In Klug we trust. He's never going to get past Bart and I'll trust our yoooff coaches judgement. Should be playing regularly at 22. Hope he finds his level.
3

Edmundo added 18:56 - May 17 You'd like to think Crowe or Hayes would be pushing Gerkin for a place. In Klug we trust though. He'll be due a statue soon I should think!
4

FromIpswichToPhoenix added 19:19 - May 17 If they are getting rid of keeper #3, does that not give a sense that Bart is going to stay? Or am I reading into this too much?
1

Radlett_blue added 19:59 - May 17 Crowe has never been considered to be near the team & he's now 22 so let him go. Same with Paterson. Klug has been watching these guys regularly so I guess he knows what he's doing.
1

stumpysausage added 20:44 - May 17 Confused who makes the call or is this how it's every season?
0

gosblue added 21:05 - May 17 Crowe himself may have been involved in the decision, we may never know. Surely at 22 his best chance of career progression lies elsewhere. Good luck young man. We will be watching your career with interest.
7

HARRY10 added 21:08 - May 17 "who makes the call " Depends on who has the phone I suppose. Though i would like to think it is face to face, where possible.
2

KiwiBlue2 added 22:56 - May 17 I thought that Monty could have been given a bit more time but that's the way it goes I suppose......
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timspencero added 00:00 - May 18 Just find it so strange this happens without a new manager taking a look??
3

TonyHumesIpswich added 00:05 - May 18 14 players out already MCColdrick Hyam Celina Carter-Vickers Connolly Iorfa Carayol Gleeson Goteni Hayes Blanchfield Crowe Patterson Bru
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GiveusaWave added 05:27 - May 18 Can't help thinking that we are making a mistake by releasing Crowe. We all know there is a distinct likelihood that Bart will move on in the Summer... One thing none of us want is to have to pay an extortionate amount of money on a new keeper because they know (1) we can afford it and (2) we are desperate. Crowe could have been the player in contention with Gerken for the Number 1 spot. Let's hope Gerken doesn't get injured.....

4

BotesdaleBlue added 08:09 - May 18 TonyHumes. If you add the in season departures of Smith, Moore, Fowler and McDonnell, that makes 18 departures this season. Quite a clear out! In the good old 70's, 18 players would have made up our entire squad. How things change and not for the better in my view.
4

SonOfSpock added 08:25 - May 18 I'd take the view that anybody that isnt within a sniff of the first team at 22 or even before that should be shown the door. As BotesdaleBlue mentioned, we had numerous players in the 70's making debuts at 17.
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leftie1972 added 10:00 - May 18 But unless we have the new manager coming in and looking for a new keeper (no.2 obviously) as well as having to find another 4-5 decent squad players, then we only have BART and Gerks. Harry Wright isn't likely to be pushing for a place in the first team. Is he?
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lightingblue added 10:54 - May 18 I reckon somebodies already in place. Very much under the radar!!! Prehaps the last song of the season should have been Bod Marleys Exados (Spelling was never any good)
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