Gillingham boss Steve Evans has announced his retained list for next season, and it has left five players still awaiting confirmation of a new contract, with a sixth having to prove himself in pre-season.

The list, which was published on Thursday afternoon, came after two days of talks between the manager and his squad.

The players who are still under contract for the new season are keepers Jack Bonham and Joe Walsh; defenders Connor Ogilvie, Jack Tucker and Lee Hodson; midfielders Stuart O’Keefe and Matty Willock and striker John Akinde.

Evans meanwhile confirmed that Hodson has been given permission to continue his talks with St Mirren over a permanent move, as well as one other EFL club.

The Gills boss has told Barry Fuller, who activated his option for a further year at Priestfield, that he is free to find a new club should he decide to leave the club – with Evans being quoted on the clubs official website: “Barry’s performances throughout the season have been excellent but as a group, and individually, we are implementing a strategy that will see the core of the group being younger players.”

The Gills boss then confirmed that the club will make a final decision regarding proposed contract offers to skipper Max Ehmer, young midfielder Henry Woods, strikers Brandon Hanlan, Mikael Mandron and Regan Charles-Cook following a board meeting to be held next week or as soon as the EFL confirm the start date for season 2020/2021.

Should Hanlan, Charles-Cook or Woods leave Priestfield, Gillingham have declared their right for compensation payments under the Bosman ruling.

Just three players have been “officially” released – Mark Byrne, Ousseynou Cisse and Ben Pringle – but as the Gills boss told KSN last week, Byrne has been invited to join the club for pre-season training in a bid for a new contract.

It ends a busy and tough week for the Gills boss as his first season as the club’s manager now finally draws to a close.

For Evans’ reaction to the week’s events, check back with KSN on Friday afternoon.