Stuart McCall admitted that swinging the axe through the City squad was his toughest job as a manager.
Eddie Johnson headed a hit-list of 13 players released by McCall during a three-hour culling session at Valley Parade yesterday.
Darren Williams, Paul Evans, Tom Penford and Alex Rhodes have also gone along with Craig Bentham, Scott Phelan and youngsters David Brown, Damian Hopkins and Luke Morgan. All three contracted keepers - Donovan Ricketts, Ben Saynor and Jamie Waite - have been released.
Barry Conlon and Kyle Nix were the only remaining out-of-contract regulars to be offered new deals but McCall also hopes to keep Luke Medley, Luke O'Brien and Sean Taylforth.
A bit of City humour...http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/
Next game(s) : Upcoming fixtures
2008/2009 fixtures
FL2 Table Table
Must be a midlife crises - I'm on facebook !
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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc
Johnson one of 13 axed by City
By Simon Parker
Eddie Johnson was the big-name casualty this afternoon as Stuart McCall swung the axe through his City squad.
High-earner Johnson, pictured, was among 13 players to be released by McCall, along with the likes of Darren Williams, Paul Evans, Tom Penford and Alex Rhodes.
Barry Conlon and Kyle Nix are the only senior players coming out of contract to be offered new ones. There are also deals on the table for Luke Medley, Luke O'Brien and Sean Taylforth.
Johnson played 71 times since joining City two years ago, scoring eight goals. But having arrived as a striker, he has appeared most of this season in central midfield.
Right back Williams has made 31 appearances and midfielder Evans 28 in his second spell at the club.
Craig Bentham and Scott Phelan are both out the door as well as all three contracted keepers - Donovan Ricketts, Ben Saynor and Jamie Waite - and youngsters David Brown, Luke Morgan and Damian Hopkins.
McCall: Eddie axe a knife-edge call
By Simon Parker
Stuart McCall admitted that swinging the axe through the City squad was his toughest job as a manager.
Eddie Johnson headed a hit-list of 13 players released by McCall during a three-hour culling session at Valley Parade yesterday.
Darren Williams, Paul Evans, Tom Penford and Alex Rhodes have also gone along with Craig Bentham, Scott Phelan and youngsters David Brown, Damian Hopkins and Luke Morgan. All three contracted keepers - Donovan Ricketts, Ben Saynor and Jamie Waite - have been released.
Barry Conlon and Kyle Nix were the only remaining out-of-contract regulars to be offered new deals but McCall also hopes to keep Luke Medley, Luke O'Brien and Sean Taylforth.
McCall said there were some knife-edge calls on both sides, particularly with Johnson, who had made 71 City appearances since Colin Todd signed him instead of Luke Beckett in 2006.
"I've only been here a year but you get to build up a rapport with people and a close relationship," said McCall. "It is tough when you know a lot of the lads want to be here.
"It went right down to the wire with Eddie. He's got terrific energy, a good engine and has enjoyed himself at this club.
"It was touch and go with him in midfield at the start of the season but he had a stormer at Lincoln and was feeling his way into the position. Unfortunately he then got the disc problem and missed two months - and never came back the same player.
"If we hadn't had Lee Bullock already on the books as an attacking midfielder I might have offered Eddie something. He will make a living in the game because of his technical ability but he needs to nail down a position."
McCall intends to beef up the spine of the team for next term, targeting two goalkeepers, a central defender to succeed David Wetherall, a midfield "leader" and another striker. He will also be looking for a right back to replace Williams.
Nix has earned his deal after winning over McCall with his non-stop enthusiasm, as well as chipping in with eight goals from midfield.
McCall added: "Kyle is an infectious character on and off the pitch and sometimes he will lift training for us. He's got a great all-round attitude to succeed and has been one of the bright spots of the season."
Conlon has also been given the carrot of a fresh deal - but his manager wants to see the Irishman hit the net more often.
"You bring in strikers to score goals and it doesn't take a genius to see Baz hasn't produced enough. He will be the first to admit that.
"But he has given everything and does bring other things to the team. I've had Neil Shipperley at Sheffield United and he was at Crystal Palace when Andy Johnson was scoring for fun - sometimes you need a foil to play with.
"I know how highly Peter Thorne rates playing with him and he does take the burden off other strikers. Paul Ince was saying on Saturday how Baz had given his defence a really hard time.
"If Baz had chipped in with 15 goals, it would have been a no-brainer. If he accepts the deal, and it's not the greatest offer in the world, the bottom line is that I need him to score more."
Saynor makes farewell appearance
By Simon Parker
Axed goalkeeper Ben Saynor will play his final game in a City shirt tonight (Wednesday) as the reserves end their season at Leicester.
Saynor is the only one of the 13 players released yesterday to be in second-string action.
Former Coventry defender Callum Burgess gets another run-out in a very young side that also includes trialists Ryan Burge from Birmingham and Boston United striker Adam Rowntree.
(Game ended 0-0)
McCALL DISMISSES MOORE LINK
By Lewis Rutledge
Bradford City boss Stuart McCall has played down speculation linking Derby
defender Darren Moore with a return to Valley Parade.
Moore was at Bradford when they the Bantams won promotion to the Premier
League nine years ago and there have been rumours he could be on his way out
of Derby this summer.
And McCall, who played alongside Moore, admits he would love to bring in his
former team-mate but says it would be "extremely unlikely".
"If we could manage to get someone of the calibre of Darren Moore to our
football club, it would be the biggest coup since I came back," McCall told
the Telegraph & Argus.
"He would be the type of professional I would love to have at the club. He
has matured since my time as a player with him and is the sort of character
and leader that would be an absolute joy to have here.
"It would be an unbelievable signing if that was ever to come about."
However, McCall does no believe he has much chance of landing Moore.
He explained: "I would rate it extremely unlikely and he has another year on
his contract at Derby anyway, so that will quash that rumour.
"I don't know where the rumours have come from. The last time I spoke to
Darren was a couple of months ago.
"I remember Paul Jewell saying that Darren has been one of their most
consistent players during a horrible season and, if he was to become
available, I'm sure there would be at least another 30 clubs higher than us
in for him."
Bradford have climbed steadily up the League Two table after a disappointing
start to the season but McCall is already looking ahead to next term and has
released 13 players.
Eddie Johnson heads the list, while Darren Williams, Paul Evans, Tom Penford
and Alex Rhodes have also been told they have no future at the club.
Craig Benham, Scott Phelan, David Brown, Damian Hopkins and Luke Morgan have
also been let go, along with goalkeepers Donovan Ricketts, Ben Saynor and
Jamie Waite.
Out-of-contract duo Barry Conlon and Kyle Nix have been offered new deals,
but McCall admits it was difficult to wield the axe.
"I've only been here a year but you get to build up a rapport with people.
It is tough when you know a lot of lads want to be here."
CONLON READY TO SIGN NEW CONTRACT
Bradford City striker Barry Conlon is set to sign a new deal to stay at the
club for another year, reports BBC Radio Leeds.
The 29-year-old striker is one of only five players to be offered a 'take it
or leave it' deal as manager Stuart McCall continues his clear-out.
"I am luckily enough to have been offered a new contract and I want to
stay," Conlon told BBC Radio Leeds.
"I came here for success and I believe I can still get that here. I am still
very hungry for it."
McCall has already released 13 out of the 18 players who will be out of
contract this summer.
Loach bids sad farewell to City fans
Scott Loach's love affair with the City fans has left him lost for words.
Saturday's trip to Adams Park marks the young keeper's final game of his loan before going back to Watford.
Loach has relished every minute of his time with Stuart McCall's side. But he has reserved special praise for the supporters who have backed him since his debut in January.
"I'm speechless with their reaction," he admitted. "The fans have welcomed me with open arms and supported me all the way.
"I will really miss walking out in front of 14,000 people every other week. Watford only just get that now and again.
"I will be sad to leave - if anything, my time here has gone too quickly.
"The atmosphere has been fantastic and this club really is a sleeping giant. I'm sure the fans will help them go higher next season."
Whether Loach, who won the T&A's most consistent player trophy, is back again in August is anyone's guess. The keeper, certainly, knows nothing about it.
But if this is his farewell, Loach will leave with fond memories.
"I'm only 19 so it's been good of Bradford to give me the games and I think it's benefited Watford more than anyone. Overall they are very pleased.
"I don't know what's going to happen next season - it all really depends on Watford and what they are thinking.
"If I'm back here next year, that would be great. I'd be happy to play.
"If I'm at Watford, then hopefully I will be pushing for a first-team place.
"But if I'm only going back to play for the reserves again, I would bite their hands off to come back here. It's hard to explain but when you start playing at a proper level - no matter whether it's Championship or League Two - you just want to be out there and involved week in, week out.
"Bradford have given me that opportunity and it's been a really good start for hopefully a good career to come."
Loach has an added incentive to impress against Wycombe because Watford goalkeeping coach Alec Chamberlain will be in the crowd.
The home side will again be resting half a team to prepare for the start of the play-offs next week. And McCall will also use the chance to give a few youngsters an outing after the squad-culling.
But Loach insists he will not be easing off the pedal and would love to bow out with a clean sheet and victory.
"From the moment I got here, the lads knew we could never really get to the play-offs but every game we've gone out and given our all and it will be the same tomorrow."
And Loach will take extra care to check his rear-view mirror after he was caught out by Aaron Wilbraham rolling the ball out against MK Dons.
He laughed: "It was a total lapse of concentration and I didn't think to look. I won't do it again.
"Lucky enough, I reacted and didn't give him much time to shoot but as soon as I saw the ball bounce back off the bar, I just wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible."
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