SEVEN players were released by Hartlepool United yesterday as planning for League Two football next season started.

While the club has yet to appoint a permanent manager, fresh professional deals have also been offered to seven. A further eight have made the step up from trainee to first-year pro.

Hugh Robertson, Darren Craddock and Steven Istead are the first-teamers freed.

Robertson, who is likely to return to Scotland, has been restricted to two appearances this season because of injury, while Istead has failed to fulfil the promise he showed when he moved to Pool in 2003 after being freed by Newcastle. Craddock spent part of this season on loan at York.

Darrell Clarke, who was attracting interest from Port Vale after he spent a month on loan there this season, recently said he wanted to stay at the club and he has been granted his wish with a new deal.

Matty Robson, John Brackstone, Carl Jones and James Brown have all been offered new deals and options have been exercised on both Gavin Strachan and Eifion Williams, who joined Clarke in confirming their wish to remain at the club.

The club, who this week started the search for a new boss after Paul Stephenson's spell of temporary command, has yet to announce which, if any, players are being made available for transfer.

Others freed are Neil Wilkinson, Jack Wilkinson, Andy Appleby and James Winter.

Professional deals have been offered to Michael Maidens, Stephen and Phil Turnbull, David Foley, Graham Low, Neil Muckles, Michael Rae and Tony Davison.

Pool will return to the Dutch FA headquarters as part of their preseason preparation. They have games on July 12 and 14 against regular opponents Top Oss and Den Bosche.

Brentford travel to Swansea tonight for the first leg of their Coca-Cola League One play-off semi-final after narrowly failing to secure automatic promotion to the Championship.