Grant Ward, Dean Gerken, Jonas Knudsen, Jordan Spence, James Collins, Tom Adeyemi and Simon Dawkins have all been released by the Blues.

Town confirmed their retained list this morning with all seven of the out-of-contract senior players set to move on.

The club had options to keep Ward, Gerken, Adeyemi, Spence and Dawkins but, despite having held talks with a number of those players, decided not to take them up.

Gerken, 33, joined Town on a free transfer after a trial having left Bristol City in the summer of 2013.

The Rochford-born keeper went on to make 113 starts for the Blues, including the recent defeats to Swansea and Sheffield United.

We understand Gerken had made it clear to Town that he was keen to look for another club where he was more likely to start regularly having been a sub for much of his time with the Blues. His former club Colchester are believed to be interested.

Gerken’s exit means the Blues will be looking for another keeper this summer with Gillingham’s out-of-contract Czech glovesman Tomas Holy in talks, while we understand QPR’s Matt Ingram - who has a year left on his deal at Loftus Road but is set to move on this summer - and Exeter’s Christy Pym have also been spoken to regarding a move to Town.

Spence, 28, joined the club in January 2018 having been on trial earlier in the season following his departure from the MK Dons after their relegation the previous summer.

The former West Ham trainee and ex-England U21 international made 69 starts and seven sub appearances, scoring four goals.

Knudsen, 26, move to the Blues from hometown club Esbjerg fB in July 2015 for a fee of £300,000.

The Danish international went on to make 153 starts and two sub appearances for the Blues, scoring four times, two against Norwich.

He also appeared at last summer’s World Cup with Denmark, making his only appearance in their round of 16 defeat to eventual finalists Croatia. In January he told the club he was keen to move on but no one came in for him. We understand Knudsen is still to find a new side despite links with clubs in Denmark and Germany.

Ward, 24, signed from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee understood to be £500,000 in the summer of 2016 and made a dramatic impact when he scored a debut hat-trick which included a goal with his first touch for the Blues.

First day back running on the Alter G, feeling stronger everyday, road to recovery continues, also big up to everyone for the messages today will check them later 💙🙏#itfc #acl #rehab #comebackseason #wardback pic.twitter.com/AhhEf8VmlY– Grant Ward (@GrantWard_) May 20, 2019

The Londoner made 75 starts and 23 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring eight goals. His 2019/20 was cut short when he suffered an ACL injury at QPR on Boxing Day. Town are obliged to get injured players fit before they depart the club.

Adeyemi, 27, missed most of last season with a hamstring problem and then all of this season after picking up an achilles injury which required surgery in pre-season.

The former Norwich youngster only made a total of four starts and one sub appearance for the Blues.

Collins and Dawkins joined Town on short-term deals in January. Former West Ham man Collins, 35, impressed in his six starts for the Blues but was unavailable for much of his time at Portman Road due to injury.

Ex-San Jose Earthquakes and Derby County winger Dawkins, 31, made little impression in his months at the club, making just two sub appearances.

As previously reported, youngsters Conor McKendry, Chris Smith and Ryley Scott, who had a trial with Colchester in March, are also moving on.

We understand the club has taken up the option for a further year on defender Pat Webber, 20, despite the former Worthing youngster having been allowed to go out on trial at Wigan and Millwall in January with both clubs having shown interest in signing him.

Photo: TWTD

bluerico added 12:30 - May 20 Understandable decisions. Shame Collins can't keep fit as would have had something to offer.
2

ip6blue added 12:32 - May 20 Worrying that we are obliged to get injured players fit before they depart the club. Will pencil in a 2050 exit for Adeyemi
3

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 12:32 - May 20 Do people actually read these stories . The clue is in the headline . ALL OUT OF CONTRACT PLAYERS RELEASED. You can't release players on contract . Not worried by any of these . Possibly Ward in League 1 but not too disappointed by his exit .
2

BurleysGloryDays added 12:33 - May 20 The big Lambert rebuild begins. Best of luck Paul and here's hoping you rebuild from the bottom up. We definitely have a manager who will lead the path forward, we should all remain grateful for that and that we have a bloke of real calibre doing this rebuild. I wonder if Ward might get another opportunity once he's fit, if he's staying at Town for rehab. He might be asked to prove fitness and compete for a new contract - which makes sense (incentivise his return to full fitness rather than hand him one now). Great also to see work is well under way in all departments, only in May that's encouraging.

1

Bergholtblue added 12:33 - May 20 "......Town are obliged to get injured players fit before they depart the club....." Most of them will still be around this time next year then.
5

muccletonjoe added 12:37 - May 20 At last. Some decisiveness . Should have been some more added to the transfer list imo. But it's a start.
2

Oldozblue added 12:41 - May 20 Remember years ago Colchester gave a short term contract to an injured player to see him fit before release. He was not even a first team regular. The honourable thing to do. So what does it say about ITFC releasing Ward when he was injured working for us. Maybe we do not know the full story - but this is now the Club of Evans not the Cobbolds. How far have we fallen?

4

linhdi added 12:48 - May 20 If releasing 7 + the loanees going leads to a reasonable budget for 4 new players, it could be very good business.
2

TimmyH added 12:49 - May 20 Agree with all those players being let go but surely we could have transfer listed in January window some of them particularly as we are in dire need of money, Ward and Knudsen (not sure if there were any takers?) springs to mind. Ward has been underwhelming and Spence not the player he was under MM, Knudsen doesn't want to be here, Collins and Adeyemi complete injury riddled players and Dawkins well...

4

tractorboybig added 12:52 - May 20 all about money,,,,,,,now we can replace them on peanuts
-2

Sir_Monte_Carlo added 12:56 - May 20 Spring clean. Goodbye to those released. Now PL find some better quality for our promotion push. And avoid the injury prone.
3

runningout added 13:14 - May 20 Good luck to all. I do mean it. Got to look at themselves and hope they contribute more at there next clubs, on and off the pitch
0

runningout added 13:17 - May 20 meant ‘their'
0

nathitfc89 added 13:20 - May 20 abit surprised by not keeping ward on, very unlucky with injuries. decent footballer aswell. not fussed about the rest. now Lambert has more wages available to bring his players in.
0

leftie1972 added 13:22 - May 20 Good luck to them all. I, like others would look at WARD again, when fit. With our loanees coming back it will be an interesting squad when (optimism) we sign HOLY and NORWOOD.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 13:31 - May 20 well thats a start.
1

ChrisFelix added 13:32 - May 20 To me this is good news. Our manager shows that he means business. Hopefully new players will follow before the end of the month.
-1

rugbytomc added 13:34 - May 20 Doplhinblue, OwainG1992 and TonyHumesIpswich - whilst I respect your opinions - it would be good if you could actually tell us all what they are instead of just being judgey with your down arrows - makes you all look like idiots quite frankly.
3

1psw1ch added 13:43 - May 20 And i guess that,s why they call it the blues ,,as the song goes,,,good luck to all involved and thx for your time at ipswich
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:47 - May 20 Agree, good luck to all concerned, but I like this postive move. After all, none of those released is going to find himself sleeping on the street. We needed a fresh start and it looks as if we're going to get one. COYN(new)B!
1

itfcserbia added 13:50 - May 20 "Town are obliged to get injured players fit before they depart the club." Jesus Christ, Adeyemi will stay here forever! Joking aside, I don't think any of them will be missed. Fresh start needed for all parties involved.
1

rickw added 13:51 - May 20 I'm sure Ward will be given the carrot of earning a contract here again if he can get fit and prove himself. Maybe if we're doing well by the time he's fit, a confident Grant Ward at his best would be a good free transfer signing!
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:51 - May 20 Oh, and by the way, when are we going to hear more about the Germany trip? Some of us can't book tickets two days in advance. We need to know NOW!
0

itfcserbia added 13:52 - May 20 Ok so I'm like the 8th person to make the same joke... Next time I'll read all the comments first.
0

NormEmerges added 13:53 - May 20 These are of course only the out of contract players whose registration is being released. I am sure there are discussions and expectations about transferring (perhaps on a free) other members of the squad who are also surplus to Lambert's requirements. I think we all have our suspicions as to who these might be - Cotter and Drinan spring to mind, to name but two. As for Ward, I wouldn't rule out him being offered a new deal if and when he proves his fitness and looks ready and up for it. But sensible not to rush into it when his future fitness still in question (and it gets him off the payroll).

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