Star goalkeeper Mark Samways heads the list of players released by York City.

Besides the shot-stopper, strikers Gary Bull and Marco Gabbiadini, winger Richard Alderson and defender Paddy Atkinson have all been let go.

But it is the departure of Samways - the runaway player of the season in the eyes of many supporters and observers - which represents the biggest surprise. The decision to cut loose the 29-year-old 'keeper has been based purely on medical considerations, insisted City manager Alan Little today.

"After medical advice the club has decided we cannot give Samways a contract.

"It's a major blow for the lad and a big blow for us, but it's a decision that has been made on medical advice," declared the City boss.

Samways goes into hospital this week for an operation on the knee that he injured twice last season.

Doncaster-born Samways, who expected to be second-choice at the start of last season, was an ever-present for the first 24 games of City's campaign, his place between the posts ending when he was injured in a collision with Blackpool forward Andy Preece in November.

He was out of action for almost three months, returning in early February for the clash against Walsall.

He remained ever-present for ten more games before he was dropped after a mistake which led to Fulham's winner. Shortly after, he damaged the same knee in another collision in a reserves match to end his season prematurely.

Little said his double priority in the summer was to snap up a replacement 'keeper and a striker in the wake of the discarding of Gabbiadini and Bull.

Little today paid tribute to Bull, whose goals on his arrival from Birmingham in March 1996 spared City from relegation. But such a prolific strike-rate was never matched in the last two seasons.

"I can't fault Gary Bull as a professional while he has been here. He has been absolutely superb. I cannot speak highly enough of his playing ability, but he hasn't got the goals and we have got to move on," said Little.

The release of defender Atkinson became even more likely with the recruitment of Neil Thompson as player-coach two days after the season ended, while Little did not believe Alderson would consistently perform in Division Two.

City's player-quest will also depend on whether a trio of players - defender Wayne Hall, and midfielders Gary Himsworth and Steve Bushell - accept new terms offered to them. Each has 28 days to reply.

Said Little; "We have a tight budget, but we have scope to bring players in.

"The signs are that there is going to be an almighty scramble with reports of possibly 600 players being out of work.

"I need another goalkeeper and a striker, where we are now a bit short up front. "I hope to bring in more players."

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