Blair pens a deal to stay at Cheltenham

WING-BACK Matty Blair has signed a new two-year contract with League Two champions Cheltenham Town.

The 31-year-old became a key member of the Robins’ titlewinning side after joining the club in September last year.

Meanwhile, goalkeepers Scott Flinders and Max Harris, and defender Sean Long have also been offered new deals.

However, centre-half Dan Bowry, midfield players Chris Clements and Tom Chamberlain, and attacking pair Alex Addai and Tahvon Campbell have all been released.

Robins boss Michael Duff said: “It’s always difficult (to release players). We are emotionally invested, as are the players, and after such a big high to then have the horrible conversations of we will or we won’t be offering contracts is difficult.

“It’s probably the hardest part of the job. It doesn’t change from when I first retired. I found it hard as an under-18s manager and nothing changes now.

“Unfortunately football moves on quite quickly, so it’s a case of having difficult conversations so the club can move on and the player can move on as well.

“We thank all of the players who are leaving us and will always remember the roles they played in helping us to achieve promotion and to make history. We wish them all the best for the future.”

The loan spells of West Brom duo Josh Griffiths and Finn Azaz, Leicester City midfielder Callum Wright, Reading striker Sam Smith and Aston Villa forward Indiana Vassilev have all now officially ended.

Blair, above, played 52 games in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign, helping the Robins to win promotion from League Two as champions.

The vastly-experienced Flinders, meanwhile, is one of the club’s longest-serving players, having arrived just after the start of the 2017/18 campaign, but was understudy to Griffiths, 19, in his fourth season with the club.

Hartpury student Harris’ career is just starting, and he has been given more time to develop as a goalkeeper, with one substitute appearance in the EFL Trophy to his name so far.

Long started the final 18 games of the season to help Cheltenham over the line, after missing much of the season through injury.

Of the Robins players released, Clements featured most for the club this season, but was out of the picture for the final three months of the campaign.