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The axe man

Dave Lawrenson
8/ 5/2008

BURY have released long serving defenders Dave Challinor and Colin Woodthorpe plus first choice goalkeeper Jim Provett and striker Andy Mangan.

And manager Alan Knill will tell Bury’s other out of contract players if they have futures at the Gigg Lane club today, Thursday, May 8. They are Brian Barry-Murphy, Glynn Hurst, Andy Parrish, Aaron Grundy, Cameron Belford, Dale Stephens, Jordan Stepien and Ben Leonard.

Knill said: "I have decided on who I want to stay and who I want to release.

"I have told Dave, Colin, Jim and Andy that it is time for them to move on.

"And after sitting down with the other out of contract players to let them know their fate on Thursday we will be releasing our retained list."

Challinor’s departure will come as a shock to Bury’s fans. The former Tranmere centre back has been a rock at the heart of the Shakers’ defence for the past five years.

But ex-skipper Challinor’s age of 32 and the fact that he has not played many games for Knill due to a knee injury have counted against him.

Woodthorpe has been at the Gigg Lane club a year longer than fellow defender Challinor. The former Norwich City and Stockport County player has always given good service but, at the age of 39, it was only a matter of time before the club started to look to the future.

Provett, aged 25, has ended up playing just one season for Bury following his 2007 move from Hartlepool.

He put in some impressive performances for the Shakers. But his days at Gigg Lane have looked numbered ever since Knill replaced him in the side with the on-loan Charlton keeper Darren Randolph.

Mangan, aged 21, has also been shipped out within a year.

With Andy Bishop, Nicky Adams and later Adam Rooney the main men up front for Bury this season, former Accrington Stanley striker Mangan was never anything more than a fringe player.

Knill said: "It is not nice telling players that they are no longer wanted but it’s part of the job. We need to look to the future and bring in some fresh faces.

"It is nothing personal. I just decided that it was in the best interests of the club and the players themselves that they move on.

"All four players have served the club well and I wish them all the best for the future.

"And that especially goes for Dave and Colin. They have been the bedrock of Bury’s defence for years.

"They have been great players for the club but we don’t have the money to have a big squad and I only want players who I think are going to play at least 75 per cent of the games for us.

"That was not going to be the case with Dave and Colin.

"I didn’t get to see Dave play many games due to his injury problems. I played Ben Futcher and Efe Sodje in the centre half

positions and I couldn’t see Dave getting in ahead of the likes of those.

"With Colin, I had been playing David Buchanan in his left back position. David is only 21 while Colin is 39 and we have to look to the future."

Buchanan and midfield ace Nicky Adams have yet to decide on whether or not to accept their new contract offers at Bury.

And Knill is waiting to hear which players get released from other clubs before trying to recruit players for next season.

He says that his priorities will be to bring in a new first choice keeper and a striker. And he is also plotting to sign a midfielder and a full back.

Knill said: "The way we finished the season gives everyone high hopes for next season, including me, the players and, most importantly, the supporters.

"We got a lot of good results and put in a lot of good performances. People have seen what the squad can do and the key now is to add to that squad and try to keep the out of contract players that we want to keep."