It never gets any easier not offering new deals to players
Graham Turner has admitted it never gets any easier not offering new deals to players after telling five Shrewsbury Town men they could now start searching for new clubs.
Captain Matt Richards, striker Marvin Morgan, winger Mark Wright - all part of the squad which gained promotion last year - have been released along with utility man Rob Purdie and young striker Ryan Doble.
But GT said it was essential to make room for the new recruits he's now chasing to take the club forward next season.
"We've had some players who have been with us for several seasons and done extremely well," said the manager.
"I'm thinking about Mark Wright with his goals from the wide left position and Matt Richards for the part he played, certainly in the promotion year and the number of games he's played this season.
"It is difficult circumstances but it has to be done. If there's going to be changes you have to be a little bit ruthless about things.
"What we can do is wish them all the best for the future and I'm sure players like those two will get decent clubs.
"But for us I just felt it was time to move on and we need a fresh influx of players. I think we've got the nucleus of a decent squad, we've got some very promising young players that will get better. It's just adding one or two experienced players to the squad that we've got."
His decision not to offer Richards a new deal was built around his belief in some of the other players already on contract for next season.
He said: "In Luke Summerfield and David McAllister I think we've got two decent midfield players and we need to bring another one in. I just felt the need for change in there."
On Marvin Morgan, he said: "When you look over the two year period he did get some important goals and some important assists. I think he's highly regarded through lower league football and he will have no trouble getting a fresh start, a new contract somewhere."
On Mark Wright, GT said: "Mark's had a difficult time with injury. I think he was out for something close to five months but he's got a good reputation in the game, he got plenty of goals for us and he played a massive part in the promotion year."
On Rob Purdie, he said: "We took Rob for his versatility and he played a number of games in different positions for us. He started the season off at left back and did very well. Perhaps it was a stop-start sort of season for him and from January he didn't have too many starts.
"Again he's somebody who is well thought of in the game and I don't think he'll have a problem getting a contract elsewhere.
And on Ryan Doble, the manager added: "I don't think he progressed as much as we would have hoped. It was a big step to go from reserve team football at Southampton into League One and I just don't think that gap was bridged.
"He worked hard and he can look at it, I think, and say that he had very few opportunities but you've got to earn those opportunities and I didn't feel he had done enough to warrant a run in the first team."