Five leave City as Williams arrives to replace Cook as Tigers' boss

NEW Gloucester City manager Dafydd Williams has released five players as he begins to reshape the squad at the TigerTurf Stadium.

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Williams, who finished the 2024/25 season in caretaker charge of League Two club Newport County after they parted company with Nelson Jardim on April 24, was appointed last Friday to replace Mike Cook after City were beaten 1-0 at AFC Totton in the Southern League Premier South play-off final.

While skipper Kevin Dawson is retiring, four other players who featured in that final, defenders Dan Ball and Tyrone Duffus and forwards Dayle Grubb and Brandon Smalley, have been freed along with defender Spencer Hamilton, still recovering from a long-term injury.

Smalley posted on X that he is looking for opportunities in the next stage of his career, and is open to options in the UK or abroad (Australia, USA, etc.).

He added: "For the past two years, it has been a pleasure representing this city.

"Gutted that we just fell short in the play-off final but I leave with a lot of good memories and hopefully I have created some for you fans too."

City have two players under contract, Elis Watts and Harry Pinchard, while Williams is in talks with another seven players - goalkeeper Jared Thompson, defenders Dan Leadbitter and Ben Richards-Everton, forward Ed Williams, top-scorer Joe Hanks, striker Kieran Phillips and left-sided man Harry Emmett - about staying with the club.

Another two players, Curtis Jemmett-Hutson and Harry Burns, have been invited back to join pre-season training with City.

Williams, 32, oversaw the final two games of the season at Newport, which saw the Exiles beaten 2-0 at Fleetwood Town and 4-1 at home by Tranmere Rovers.