Newly promoted Blackpool have let five players go after announcing their retained list for next season.
Nardiello, Bouazza, Bangura, Mitchley and Martin leave Blackpool
Newly promoted Blackpool have let five players go after announcing their retained list for next season.
Daniel Nardiello, Hameur Bouazza, Al Bangura, Danny Mitchley and Joe Martin have all been handed free transfers by the club, who beat Cardiff 3-2 in the Championship play-off final on Saturday.
But Matt Gilks, David Vaughan, Mark Halstead, Ashley Eastham and Ishmel Demontagnac have received better news, with the club opting to activate an option of a further year's contract as they prepare for life in the top flight for the first time since 1971.
Boss Ian Holloway told the club's
official website: "It has been a crazy time - to go from the euphoria of the weekend and the magnificent homecoming parade on the Monday to the harsh reality of preparing a retained list the following morning has been difficult to deal with."
But he wished the five departing players the very best, believing they had played their part in the club's promotion push.
Played part
Holloway added: "They have all played their part. Nardiello put the cross over to Brett (Ormerod) to score the winner against Watford.
"Hameur scored against Peterborough at home and produced a number of crosses in the matches he played.
"Al did well in the Carling Cup games and made some great challenges in the league games he was involved in.
"Joe deputised for Craines (Stephen Crainey) on a number of occasions and he never let us down and Danny Mitchley has trained hard, listened and developed and has been a good guy around the dressing room.
"I am sure they will be all disappointed but I can't thank them enough for their efforts, I am sure they will get fixed up with another club and I will be watching to see how they progress."
Triggered options
Three other players - Crainey, Jason Euell and Ormerod - had already triggered their options earlier in the season having completed a specific number of games.
While Ben Burgess and Rob Edwards have not had their option taken, Holloway wants to keep the pair.
He added: "I have had a chat with both Ben and Rob and explained our situation, we have decided not take their option for a further year, but that does not mean that we don't want them.
"I have told them that in the coming weeks I am going to sit down with them and go through a few things for next season and if we can work something out I will be delighted, they are two cracking people who have nothing but a positive influence around the place."
