Two out and three stay at Walsall

Walsall today released defender Clayton McDonald and Jonny Brain as club legend Jimmy Walker, captain Andy Butler and Emmanuel Ledesma were offered new deals.

The Saddlers today confirmed details of their 'retained list' a day after much of the news was made public on Facebook by a Banks's Stadium trainee.

Walsall will offer new contracts to Butler, Walker, Matt Richards, Julian Gray, Ledesma, David Bevan and youngster George Bowerman.

But goalkeeper Brain, Aaron Lescott, McDonald, Steve Jones, Darren Byfield, Paul Marshall, Tom Williams, Alex Hickman and Sean Geddes have all been released.

Jon Macken, Oliver Lancashire, Manny Smith, Darryl Westlake, Alex Nicholls and Richard Taundry are all contracted to the club for next season, while first-year professionals Jake Jones and Connor Deards have also been offered contracts.

The Saddlers will be taking up their options on contract extensions for Will Grigg and Jamie Paterson.

Confirmation of the news came 24 hours after young defender Alex Hickman wrote on his online Facebook account that he wasn't getting a new deal and listed those who were also being let go.

Hickman named Brain, McDonald and Marshall as the players who had been given the chop by the Saddlers.

Byfield and Lescott revealed on Twitter yesterday they had been released.

Byfield, 34, was crocked for six months with a knee injury and managed just two goals as the Saddlers beat the League One drop by a point.

Loanee Marco Gbarssin, who made nine appearances for the Saddlers, after joining from Carlisle in March, has also been released by the Cumbrians, although he was not mentioned to today's statement from the Banks's Stadium.

The midfielder only joined Carlisle in January but, speaking after the Saddlers' ensured their League One status on Saturday, hinted he would be open to a move to the Banks's Stadium.

He said: "I've had a good time here but, in football, everything can happen fast."