Striker Greg Palmer, goalkeeper Tommy Crowther and defenders Jack Obersteller and Michael McLeary - son of former manager Alan - plus midfielders Joe O'Rourke and Ben Payne will all be released at the end of the season, allowing them to play in The Lions remaining reserve fixtures.
The fact that the club's youth policy is failing to produce producers of the right calibre to compete in League One is very worrying indeed, especially when the cost of running the academy is taken into consideration. Over the past few seasons, precious few players have graduated to the first team and the current set-up pails in comparison with the youth academy of yesteryear which produced the likes of Ben Thatcher, Andy Roberts and Mark Kennedy in the same season.