With the regular football season drawing to a close across the country and the play-offs preparing to commence as early as Monday night in the Championship, retained lists are starting to be announced around the English Football League.
It’s no different for Gloucestershire’s footballing sides, with newly crowned League Two champions Cheltenham Town releasing their retained list on Friday morning.
Robins boss Michael Duff has let five players leave the club this summer, with Chris Clements a notable departure after putting in 14 appearances during this season’s title winning campaign.
The midfielder was highly rated by Duff, with his technical ability particularly catching the eye, however a lack of mobility and injury concerns have led to Clements being shown the door.
As for Cheltenham’s local rivals, Forest Green will face Newport County in the play-off semi-finals, starting Tuesday May 18, with their retained list expected whenever Jimmy Ball and his men see their campaign come to an end.
There are several important players at The innocent New Lawn with their contracts expiring this month such as Udoka Godwin-Malife, Aaron Collins and Scott Wagstaff, and with Ball’s appointment only intended to be until the end of the season, it remains to be seen how the managerial situation will play out, a decision that will have great impact on players’ futures at the club.
Will the decision to let Clements go be one that Duff may regret in the future? Here’s a selection of players both Cheltenham and Forest Green released at the end of the 19/20 campaign, with analysis on how each individual has fared since their departure from Gloucestershire and the verdict on whether they should’ve been released or not.
Cheltenham Town:
Luke Varney
Upon the striker’s departure from Cheltenham, Michael Duff said to the club website that Varney “has been an unbelievable signing and an unbelievable person for the football club on and off the pitch.
“I could be a manager for another 25 years and he might be my best ever signing and luckily he was my first. What he’s done for the club, what he’s done for me means there’s nothing but respect.”
Varney was Duff’s first signing at Cheltenham and the journeyman striker had an impressive first season at The Jonny-Rocks Stadium scoring 14 goals to help steer the Robins away from relegation.
Despite suffering various knee injury problems the following season, the former Portsmouth and Leeds man still netted seven times as Cheltenham reached the 2020 play-off semi finals.
The respectable goal return wasn’t enough to warrant a new contract in Gloucestershire though, with Varney leaving on good terms and as a fan-favourite within the local community.
After leaving Cheltenham, the former Premier League striker returned to former side Burton Albion as a player/fitness coach on a one-year deal.
Jake Buxton was manager at the Pirelli Stadium at the time, and the defender had previously played with Varney at Burton and Derby County.
After a poor run of form, including four consecutive defeats in League One, Buxton was sacked by Burton, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink brought in as his replacement.
Varney’s role in the 20/21 season was bit-part to say the least, with just 13 minutes played across four substitute appearances.
Therefore it was of little surprise to see the forward’s name in the released section when Burton announced their retained list just two days ago.
It was always going to be difficult for Varney to stay match fit and injury free as a 38-year-old especially at a League One level, but after an illustrious career spanning 18 years in the professional game, all good things must come to an end, with Cheltenham utilising the striker at the tail-end of his time as a footballer before his sharpness started to decrease.
Verdict – Correct decision
Jonte Smith
Jonte Smith signed for Cheltenham Town in September 2019 following spells at Lewes and Oxford United in the same year, scoring 48 goals for the former over a three year spell.
The striker’s deal was initially intended to expire in January 2020, but after catching the eye in his first few months at the club, scoring a hat-trick against West Ham Under-23s in the EFL trophy for example, Smith’s contract was extended until the end of the season.
26 years of age, Smith scored four goals during his time in Gloucestershire and started last season’s play-off semi final second leg against Northampton.
Prior to the retained list being released, Smith was a name that supporters would’ve been happy to stay at The Jonny-Rocks, but it wasn’t to be and the forward was one of five players let go following the end of Cheltenham’s 19/20 play-off campaign.

The Bermudian told GlosLive at the time that “I understand why the decision has been made and I respect it because he (Duff) gave me the opportunity to be here so I am forever grateful.”
Smith said that the plan for the future was: “To keep pushing and trying to work my way up the leagues, my mindset hasn’t changed. The goal is still the same, I have proven myself time and time again and I am sure I will continue to do that.”
After his release from Cheltenham, it took four months for Smith to be picked up by a new club, signing for Woking in January. Cards manager Alan Dowson was said to be a big fan of the striker, who was brought in as a replacement for current Forest Green man Josh Davison, after his loan spell at Charlton expired.
Smith has gone onto to make 12 appearances for the Vanarama National League side this season, but he is yet to score, with Woking on a torrid run of form and 20th in the table.
The Former Crawley Town man certainly has the potential to score plenty of goals, but it’s fair to say Cheltenham haven’t missed the striker, who’s failed to hit the ground running at Woking.
Verdict – Correct decision
Forest Green Rovers:
Liam Shephard
Upon the announcement of Forest Green’s retained list in the 19/20 season, there were several questionable departures from the club, such as Farrend Rawson and George Williams, but one that particularly stood out was Liam Shephard.
The right-back joined Rovers from League One Peterborough in June 2018, a move that was considered a great coup by Mark Cooper, with Shephard going on to become a key player that season, scoring five goals as FGR reached the League Two play-off semi-finals.
The following season was one ravaged by injury for Shephard, who made just 19 appearances throughout the campaign, with his ability still there for all to see, but knee problems forced him to remain on the sidelines.
The Welshman was arguably rushed back from injury too quickly and after being such an important player the previous season, Rovers supporters were shocked at the decision to let Shephard go.
A player of Shephard’s quality was bound to receive a plethora of attractive offers up and down the Football League pyramid, but after a successful pre-season trial with Newport County, the defender put pen to paper and signed for The Exiles on a one-year-deal.
Shephard has multiple links to the club, with his father Garry once a prolific goal-scorer at Rodney Parade and brother Corey also at the club.
Mark Cooper brought in Kane Wilson in the summer as Shephard’s replacement and the West Brom youth product possesses bags of talent, but has also struggled with his own fair share of injuries in Gloucestershire.
Shephard has been a mainstay in Michael Flynn’s side this season, making 42 appearances as Newport achieved a sixth placed finish.
Rovers supporters will be hoping the decision to let Shephard go won’t be one the club regrets when FGR face The Exiles in the play-off semi finals next week and the right-back will certainly be out with a point to prove.
Verdict – Wrong decision
George Williams
A Wales international and Fulham academy graduate, big things were expected of George Williams upon his arrival at The innocent New Lawn in June 2018.
Williams was included in the Wales squad at the Euros in 2016, where his country reached the semi-finals of the tournament, but the forward failed to make an appearance for Chris Coleman’s squad.
The 25-year-old scored seven goals and grabbed five assists in a promising first season in Gloucestershire but Williams suffered a huge injury setback on the opening day of the 19/20 season, after breaking his leg two minutes in to a home clash with Oldham.
The former MK Dons man spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines, making just four appearances for Cooper’s side as Rovers’ season collapsed, going from top of the League in November, to an eventual 10th placed finish.
The reputation and CV Williams possessed played its part in his departure from the club, with the player likely to demand high wages, despite missing a large portion of the season.
Williams was released as part of a large clear-out at FGR, with several big names released amid the Covid-19 pandemic and after a summer of uncertainty, the striker signed for Grimsby Town ahead of the 20/21 campaign.
In what was a chaotic year at Grimsby, resulting in their relegation to the National League from League Two, Williams failed to live up the hype around his transfer, scoring just two goals in 19 appearances and featuring sporadically under two different managers in chaotic circumstances, on and off the pitch.
The Welshman remains under contract at Blundell Park for the 21/22 season, where he will be hoping to have more of an impact on the pitch and a brighter future after a difficult debut season
Verdict – Remains to be seen