SAFC announce retained players list for 2004/5 season

Sunderland today announced their retained list for the 2004-05 season, revealing the first phase of Mick McCarthy's plan to restructure for next season.
Nine players with first team experience - including Paul Thirlwell (left), Jason McAteer, Phil Babb and Joachim Bjorklund - are among the fourteen players whose contracts are due to expire in June.

Sunderland chairman Bob Murray said: "A number of players are out of contract. Mick has taken decisions and there will be more changes to come, so that we can mount a challenge to achieve Premiership status by the end of next season.

"The number of players who are out of contract gives Mick the opportunity to determine the squad that starts pre-season training unlike last year when he inherited a very difficult situation with a big squad many of which were to leave, which he managed amazingly.

"The club is spurred on by the achievements of Mick and the players in reaching the FA Cup semi-final and third place in Division One, and it is up to the Board and everyone at the club to do their utmost to ensure that next season is successful."

Following discussions this week, a number of players - including Thirlwell, McAteer, Babb, Bjorklund and Michael Reddy - have been told their contracts will not be renewed.

Youngsters Mark Rossiter, Simon Ramsden and Patrick Collins have also been released.

McCarthy is still involved in talks with six out-of-contract players - including Jeff Whitley, Tommy Smith, Darren Byfield, John Oster, Richie Ryan and Neil Teggart.

Players retained on professional contracts for the season 2004-05 are as follows:

Goalkeepers
· Mart Poom
· Thomas Myhre
· Ben Alnwick
· Michael Ingham
· Euan McLean

Defenders
· Stephen Wright
· George McCartney
· Gary Breen
· Ben Clark
· Darren Williams
· Julio Arca
· Lewis Dodds
· Ryan Bell
· Dan Smith
· Sean Taylor

Midfielders
· Sean Thornton
· Colin Healy
· Grant Leadbitter
· Chris Kingsberry
· Matt Piper
· Nicolas Medina
· Niall Flynn
· Jonjo Dickman

Strikers
· Kevin Kyle
· Marcus Stewart
· Chris Brown