Exit door

AFTER YOU . . . Reuben Reid is one of six players who have not been offered new deals by Athletic. The striker has managed two goals in 19 appearances.

Dickov wields the axe in search of winning formula
ATHLETIC manager Paul Dickov has jettisoned just under HALF of his out-of-contract first-teamers, with the situation regarding Dean Brill as-yet unclear.

On their way through the exit door at Boundary Park are goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw, centre-backs Andy Todd and Rod McDonald, midfielder Ritchie Jones and forward pair Lewis Alessandra and Reuben Reid.

In the case of Reid, who arrived in the January transfer window from West Brom, Athletic have decided not to exercise their option of keeping the 22-year-old on for next season.

Arriving at the club well short of fitness, the striker has looked sharper in recent weeks but has only managed two goals in 19 appearances, including 11 starts, for Athletic.

Jones departs after a solitary season which started well but faded, with the ex-Hartlepool man unable to force his way into the starting line-up with any regularity. While a report appeared yesterday claiming that Jones rejected a new offer from Athletic, the club insist that no contract was put to the 24-year-old.

Alessandra leaves after four seasons as a professional at the club.

After suffering a serious ankle injury last season while on loan at non-league Chester, the 22-year-old — who burst onto the scene with a hat-trick against Scunthorpe three years ago — recovered to stake a claim to a place on the left of midfield at the start of Dickov’s first campaign in charge before fading from the spotlight.

Todd has barely featured in the first-team since arriving at the club as a back-up defender, Ollerenshaw’s loan spells at Mossley and Salford gave indication to his fate and it is a similar tale with McDonald, who made only one brief first-team showing against Shrewsbury in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy before spending time on loan at Stafford and Nantwich.

As for goalkeeper Brill, Dickov has yet to meet with him to discuss the player's future at the club or otherwise.

Those men who have been offered a chance to take up new contracts with Athletic are captain Reuben Hazell, left-back duo Paul Black and Cedric Evina, wide men Filipe Morais and Phil McGrath and forward Deane Smalley.

The most striking of those names is Smalley, who has spent the majority of this season as a hit on loan at League Two champions Chesterfield. The 22-year-old racked up 12 goals in 28 matches for John Sheridan’s side.