ANOTHER THREE IRISHMEN have entered free agency as clubs in England continue to make decisions regarding the players they intend to retain for next season.
Former Republic of Ireland international Paul Green has been released by Crewe Alexandra, while Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon have told Mark Byrne and Dylan Connolly respectively that they are not being offered new deals.
After the League Two season was declared officially over this week due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Crewe were promoted as runners-up. However, Green won’t be joining the club in League One next season.
The midfielder signed for the Gresty Road outfit from Oldham Athletic in 2018. Now 37, he moves on after making 79 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Green won 21 senior caps for Ireland between 2010 and 2014, one of which came as a substitute in the Euro 2012 defeat to Spain.
Connolly joined AFC Wimbledon from Dundalk in January 2019. The 25-year-old winger played 18 times for the League One club before spending last season on loan at Bradford City in League Two.
There’s a silver lining for Mark Byrne, who has been invited to return to Gillingham for pre-season training as he continues his recovery from the anterior cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered while playing for the League One side last December.
While he has been officially released for now, manager Steve Evans says he’s open to offering the 31-year-old midfielder another contract should he prove his fitness.
Byrne has made 157 appearances for Gillingham since his 2016 move from Newport County.
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