By Paul Holmes
May 18 2002

Grimsby may well be forced to release Danny Butterfield and Bradley Allen as they fall to the crippling cash crisis sweeping the league. The duo are out of contract in the summer and Mariners boss, Paul Groves, had been keen to keep the two at the club. However those plans were dashed after the news that ITV Digital would not be honouring the contrct they signed with the Football League. Because of the unknown money situation the club can not afford to offer new contracts to the pair.

30 year old Allen has had a mixed 3 seasons at the Mariners after been signed on a free from Charlton. The striker was hit by nigling injuries but still remained fans favourite thanks to his never-say-die attitude and his ability to score a goal from nothing. Allen hit his best form towards the end of last season as he formed a deadly partnership with Michael Boulding that helped the Mariners to safety.

Allen was dissapointed with the situation and offered a crazy, yet realistic view on the situation. "It sounds daft, but the club may have been better off had it been relegated this season"

"The dozen players who signed new contracts last summer had clauses in their contracts which would have meant they would have had to take a pay cut if they were relegated".

Utility player, Danny Butterfield, also received similar news form the club. The 22 year old played a part in every game for the Mariners last season and his versatility was essential in a small squad like the one at Blundell Park.

Butterfield was watched by a number of clubs last season including Middlesborough and Sheffield Wednesday. Normally the club would be able to claim a tribunial fee as Butterfield is under 24, however because the club can not afford to offer him a deal that matches his current one the right to a tribunial is removed. Butterfield admitted his dissapointment at the prospect of leaving the club he has spent his whole career with. "I'm gutted to be leaving the club and I didn't want to go this way".

Butterfiled and Allen join Simon Ford, Michael Boulding, Terry Cooke, Wayne Burnett and Ben Chapman as the out of contract players at Blundell Park. Cooke, Boulding and Ford have been offered new deals but the rest will be forced to wait and see the outcome of the TV money fiasco and could join the 1,000+ professionals fighting for a new club this summer.