Crewe release five players but offer five more new deals

Crewe's 18-goal top scorer Elliott Nevitt is one of five players to be offered a new deal

Crewe Alexandra have released five players following their near-miss in the League Two promotion play-offs.

Welsh defender Billy Sass-Davies, who spent the season on loan at Boreham Wood, fellow defender Zak Kempster-Down, midfielder Charlie Colkett and strikers Charlie Kirk and Max Woodcock are all leaving.

But five players - defenders Rio Adebisi and defender Luke Offord, midfielder Chris Long and strikers Courtney Baker-Richardson and top scorer Elliott Nevitt - have all been offered new deals.

The club have also triggered a clause for an extension in 20-year-old defender Zac Williams' contract, while six on-loan players - goalkeepers Harvey Davies (Liverpool) and Max Stryjek (Wycombe), defender Ed Turns (Brighton), midfielder Lewis Leigh (Preston) and Huddersfield Town midfielders Josh Austerfield and Aaron Rowe - have all returned to their parent clubs.

The Alex have also offered professional contracts to two of their Academy scholars, Nathan Robinson and Lucas Sant.

The 2024-25 season will be boss Lee Bell's second full season in charge, after taking over from Alex Morris in November 2022.

Crewe only won two of their last 12 games to fall out of automatic promotion contention as they finished sixth.

Bell's men then memorably turned round a 2-0 semi-final first-leg deficit to beat Doncaster Rovers on penalties in the second leg, only to lose 2-0 against Crawley in the final at Wembley last Sunday.

Only one of the five Alex players released, sub Charlie Kirk, played at Wembley