By Chris O'Brien
May 15 2004

Lennie Lawrence has released Spencer Prior, and out-of-favour striker Gavin Gordon looks set to leave the club as the pre-season squad changes begin. Meanwhile, there is speculation regarding the future of many Cardiff City players.

There were few surprised from Cardiff City supporters when Lennie Lawrence announced his retained list, as the City boss starts his preparation for the 2003/2004 season. Towering centre-half Spencer Prior leaves the club after 3 seasons as a Bluebird, and Gavin Gordon also looks likely to depart Ninian Park during the summer after being advised to find new employment.

Spencer Prior joined the club during the spending spree before the 2001/2002 league campaign and many hoped the experienced defender could play a leading role in the Cardiff defence for the rest of his career. However, Prior has failed to make the impact many hoped after his £700,000 move from Manchester City, facing constant pressure from many sections of supporters, and the immersion of youngster James Collins this year means Prior is surplus to requirements.

Striker Gavin Gordon is another player who hasn't quite succeeded as many had hoped. City paid an initial fee of £275,000 for the target man, which swiftly rose to £550,000. Gordon was signed after a match-winning display against the Bluebirds for Lincoln City, but his Ninian Park career was hampered by niggling injuries and a posture problem. He will be fondly remembered for his amazing five goals in a game against Rushden & Diamonds in the LDV Vans Trophy three years ago, but he lacked consistency in the league and bigger-name strikers at the club have denied Gordon enough opportunities.

Unlike Prior though, 24-year-old Gordon has not yet officially left the club, but he has been instructed to find a new club by Lennie Lawrence. The City boss has told Gordon that if he cannot find another club to go to, he will leave the door ajar for him to try and prove he deserves a new contract at Cardiff City. However, a queue of clubs across the Football League have already expressed an interest, and Oxford United lead the chase for the forward.

Layton Maxwell, Scott Young, Mark Bonner and Jason Bowen have all left the club in the past few months, which leaves City's squad a little threadbare at the moment, and with the possibility of big-name players being sold, some addition to the team before the new season are certainly expected. With only two names on Lennie Lawrence's end-of-season retained list, it would seem that the other out-of-contract players will be offered new deals. Martyn Margetson and Gary Croft look certain to be offered new deals, to the delight of many fans who feel the duo had been treated unfairly by having to wait so long to have their futures confirmed.

There are questions marks over other players at the club, and more departures should not be ruled out. Gareth Whalley is at the centre of a big cash row at the club, and a well-publicised spat with owner Sam Hammam over a bonus row puts his future at Ninian Park in jeopardy. However, for now, it must be assumed that he will carry on with his contract at the club despite Lawrence claiming that the central midfielder may find his position at the club untenable. Neil Alexander has also been linked with a move away from the Welsh capital after revealing his frustration at bring dropped from the Cardiff City side following the December home defeat against Millwall, and hinting that if the situation didn't change he would look for a move elsewhere to help his flagging international career with Scotland.

The club are yet to announce whether they intend to sign Lee Bullock from York City. The midfielder has netted 3 Cardiff City goals during a brief loan spell, but despite this has come under criticism for some average displays in the Bluebirds shirt. Should a deal be completed with the Conference-bound Minstermen, City would be likely to splash out £75,000 on Bullock.

There is then, of course, the constant speculation over Robert Earnshaw and Daniel Gabbidon. Both players have been linked with a series of big-name clubs, particularly Zambian-born striker Earnshaw who has apparently attracted interest from Celtic, Rangers, Fulham, Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City. The club have kept relatively quiet over whether the pair of Welsh internationals will stay or leave, but with our crippling debts supposedly mounting, a £4million bid for either player would probably tempt Sam Hammam to sell.