MILLWALL boss Neil Harris has paid tribute to the seven players the club this week announced won’t be retained after their contracts expire this month.
Harris held talks with a number of players the day after Millwall’s League One play-off final defeat to Barnsley to inform them they were being released.
Those leaving the club are first-team squad regulars Carlos Edwards and Ed Upson (above), as well as John Marquis, Jack Powell, Lee Martin, Chris Parr and Keaton Wood.
Edwards played at Wembley on Sunday while Upson was on the bench, but both were used less regularly by Harris as the season progressed.
Marquis, Powell, Martin and Wood all spent time out on loan this season, while Parr was a regular in Justin Skinner’s U21 side.
Harris praised their contributions to the club.
“The players who hadn’t been involved in the play-off squad I spoke to before,” Harris explained. “They have been out of favour but training with us and they have been ultra-professional, all of them.
“The other guys that have been in the squad, Carlos and Ed in particular, I spoke to them (Monday). We had discussions where their futures lie. They are good guys, great pros. But they want to play regularly.
“They come to work every day but they want to be involved on Saturday at three o’clock. I’m completely respectful to their positions. They enjoy it here but want a guarantee they’ll play first-team football.”
Harris said Edwards, who will be 38 in October, wants to continue his playing career elsewhere.
“I think in time to come Carlos has a lot of potential as a coach,” Harris said. “Having sat with Carlos on numerous occasions, he loves playing football. Coming out of the game as I did myself, you have to play as long as you can.
“We’re not in a position at the moment to offer player-coaching roles. So we had a good chat and Carlos is going to carry on playing, and rightly so. You’re a long time retired. He’s the ultimate professional.”
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