A mixed week for our last Premier League team

Last updated : 11 May 2014 By Tony Scholes
Birmingham have released Wade Elliott

Four who played for us during that first ever Premier League season have, in recent days, been told they are surplus to requirements at their current clubs, four players who, between them, made a total of 148 league appearances during that one season.

The last of the four to be announced was the one that disappointed me the most as expected as it was. Yesterday, Birmingham boss Lee Clark confirmed his retained list with the news that Wade Elliott, after almost three years at St. Andrew's, would not be offered a new deal.

It couldn't have been a surprise. Wade is 35 now and has spent the last part of this season on loan with Bristol City, signing again for Steve Cotterill, the manager who brought him to Burnley nine years ago.

I was a big fan of Wade, and even those fans who weren't so sure changed their opinion in May five years ago when it was his goal that took us to that play-off win and promotion.

It would not be a big surprise to see him pitch up at Ashton Gate on a permanent basis but, if not, the player whose career has taken in Bashley, Bournemouth, Burnley, Birmingham and Bristol City, will probably be looking for another B team, and by that I don't mean one in Greg Dyke's FA head.

Goalkeeper Brian Jensen's release by Bury was, perhaps , a surprise, given that he won their player of the season last week. I can only assume current boss David Flitcroft is looking to use a younger goalkeeper next season.

Meanwhile over at Bolton there was absolutely no surprise when they confirmed that both Tyrone Mears and Chris Eagles would be going to through the exit door. Both were on big money at the Reebok (or whatever its new name is). Bolton can't afford those players now and so both join Wade and the Beast in looking for new clubs.

It's not all bad news for the class of 2010 though and Danny Fox has completed his move to Nottingham Forest. When he signed on loan from Southampton it was confirmed then that there was a guaranteed three year deal for him.

It's not been plain sailing at the City Ground for our former left-back since he was signed by Little Billy. He played 15 games of which only three were won. He had a nightmare  at Burnley, has turned in a number of similar performances, and collected an incredible nine yellow cards in the process.

David Nugent might not have joined Fox in signing a new deal yet but he's been offered one by Leicester a couple of days ago and is expected to sign on their return to the Premier League where he's not played since leaving Turf Moor.

Two others should have been featuring yesterday but the rain put paid to it. The League Two play-off game between York and Fleetwood was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Bootham Crescent.

Fleetwood are, of course, under the management of Graham Alexander and he named Stephen Jordan, who has just returned from a long term injury, as one of the substitutes last night.

Jordan missed the play-offs five years ago, again because of injury and said this week how much he was finally looking forward to getting involved in the end of season competition.

Best of luck to those looking for new clubs, well done to those who have got contract offers, and I'd like to offer the very best of luck to all the former Clarets involved in the play-offs but there are so many of them it might be unfair to take sides.