Key men offered new deals at Town
Cheltenham keen to retain the services of skipper Long and top-scorer Sercombe
CLUB captain Sean Long and goalscoring midfielder Liam Sercombe are understood to have been offered extended deals by relegated Cheltenham Town.
Sercombe, 34, swept the board as Supporters’, Players’ and Sponsors’ Player of the Year at the end of his fourth season with the Robins, as he topped the scoring charts with 11.
Long, 29, started all 36 of Darrell Clarke’s League One matches in charge of Cheltenham in 2023/24.
Beyond Sercombe, right, and
Long, decisions will be made on a host of other players’ futures in the next day or so, with meetings set to take place with boss Clarke following the conclusion of the League One season on Saturday and confirmation of the 2024/25 playing budget.
Defeat at Stevenage consigned the Robins to relegation, three years to the day since they secured promotion from League Two.
Striker George Lloyd’s deal expires this summer and he has had an offer on the table for several months, but has interest from other clubs and is expected to depart.
Midfielder Tom Pett – Clarke’s first recruit – initially signed a contract until the end of the season, but it is understood to be part of Clarke’s plans and was handed an extended deal early in his time with the club.
Of the other out-of-contract men, Dan Adshead and Liam Smith seem certain to depart after finishing the season on loan at AFC Fylde and Grimsby Town respectively.
Goalkeeper Luke Southwood has indicated he will be moving on. The Northern Ireland international, who suffered a broken leg during the first half at Stevenage, started all 92