Simpson's contracts hope

Manager Paul Simpson is hopeful Shrewsbury Town's 'out-of-contract six' will pen new deals within the next week as he sets about building a squad capable of landing automatic promotion in 2009-10.

While Simpson released seven players in the wake of Saturday's play-off final defeat to Gillingham, he put fresh offers on the table to six other squad members.

Kelvin Langmead, Ben Davies, Chris Humphrey and Steve Leslie have all been offered two-year contracts while Omer Riza and Darren Moss are considering 12 month deals.

As they are under the age of 24, Town would be eligible for compensation under the Bosman ruling should Humphrey and Leslie move onto pastures new, while Davies, Langmead, Riza and Moss could all walk away from the club for nothing.

But Simpson said: "I am hopeful that they will sign.

"I've made it quite clear I want them to stay and I've told them all that, because we have missed out on three weeks of negotiations and time, I want a decision by next Tuesday.

"I want to get started for next season now because the disappointment of Saturday will be with me for a while.

"We have got to start dealing with it and approach next season and make it as good as we possibly can."

Amongst the players released were long serving full-backs Neil Ashton and Ben Herd and striker Nick Chadwick, who started at Wembley on Saturday.

Simpson admitted breaking the news to the players yesterday morning was necessary – but concluded a difficult 48 hours.

"It was tough because you have still got the horrible sick feeling in your stomach in the weekend anyway and to have to do what we did yesterday wasn't nice.

"But it's part of what we have got to do to try and make our football club better and I think the decisions I have made are the right ones on what I have seen.

"It's really hard because they are all great lads who have been great to work with.

"But I'm hoping we can go on and improve the squad and make it better.

"We have to go next season to try and get automatic – that's what we intended to do this season.

"It didn't happen and I'm disappointed but we have got to do what we can to make it an even better season."

By JAMES GARRISON