Dagenham and Redbridge manager John Still

No room in current budget but possibly open to renegotiated deals for the four players released by John Still

Daggers boss John Still has not ruled out a return of released quartet Mark Arber, Jon Nurse, Damien McCrory and Peter Gain, writes Colin Munford.

Still issued a retained list on Monday and all four had to be released with no new contract being offered by the Victoria Road club.

Because of the budget the Daggers chief currently works with, there is no room within that to offer any of the four a new deal at this present time.

However, Still has not ruled out a return for some, if not all of the quartet.

“We have a budget and with the players we have at this club at present under contract, the budget works with those players,” said Still.

“People in most cases are out of contract just don’t fit into that budget. It doesn’t stretch that far.

“What we have had to do is look at the situation, Mark Arber being one of them.

“We have explained at this present time the budget doesn’t allow me to re-sign any of the players whose contracts are up. The budget doesn’t stretch that far.

“We have a bit of work to do and in three, four or five weeks that situation may change. The more senior players, of which Mark is one, we just can’t financially cater for at the moment.”

But Still has ruled out a return for four of the others not retained, with Ahmed Abdulla, Phil Walsh, Jon-Joe Bates and Lee Wootton all looking for new clubs.

Of those out of contract, the only two who have been offered new deals have accepted them, with Billy Bingham signing a three-year deal and Abu Ogogo verbally agreeing a new contract.

Richard Rose and Femi Ilesanmi have been put on the transfer list, though Still has not ruled out the latter staying, while he is also looking to strengthen other areas.

“In terms of midfield options we are well covered and on top of that there are a couple of areas we have to strengthen,” he added.