´óÏó´«Ã½

Northern Ireland striker Shayne Lavery and defensive duo Marvin Ekpiteta and Callum Connolly have been released by Blackpool.

Lavery, 25, scored 18 goals in 106 appearances since joining from Linfield in June 2021.

Ekpiteta, 28, signed from Leyton Orient four years ago and won promotion to the Championship with the Tangerines in 2020-21.

Twenty-six year-old Connolly joined ahead of that campaign in the second tier from Everton and went on to play 108 times.

Boss Neil Critchley said the trio had all played "key roles" over the last few years and thanked them for "their hard work and commitment to the club".

Midfielder Matty Virtue is also among the 11 players to depart Bloomfield Road, while the club are in talks with defender James Husband about a new deal.

The Seasiders have also extended midfielder Sonny Carey’s contract by another year, along with those of goalkeepers Richard O’Donnell and Harvey Bardsley, defender Jack Moore and striker Jake Daniels.

Mackenzie Chapman, Dannen Francis, Brad Holmes, Donovan Lescott, Luke Mariette, Will Squires and Tayt Trusty are the other players to leave the League One side.

Blackpool finished eighth in the table this season, missing out on the play-offs by three points following relegation from the Championship the previous campaign.