DANNY Livesey’s time at Barrow AFC has come to a shocking end after the club did not give him a new deal.

The AFC skipper – a bedrock in defence for the past three seasons – is one of five out-of-contract men not offered new terms at Holker Street.

Livesey’s unexpected departure comes less than two weeks after he picked up five player-of-the-year awards at the Bluebirds’ annual presentation night.

The 32-year-old former Carlisle defender spoke only last week of his desire to remain with AFC, and his belief that he could still offer the club more, but he is now seeking new employment.

Livesey, full-back Shaun Beeley, reserve goalkeeper Andy Coughlin, winger Lindon Meikle and striker Inih Effiong are the five players not to be offered new contracts at Holker Street.

Beeley is another surprise, having made 41 starts at right-back since a summer move from League Two Morecambe. Newly-promoted AFC Fylde are believed to be among the clubs interested in his services for next season.

Effiong only arrived from Biggleswade Town in January, but did not do enough to earn a contract for next year, while Meikle has been in and out of the side all season and Coughlin made only two National League starts during his stay.

The decisions to release the quintet came after meetings between manager Paul Cox, owner Paul Casson and the Barrow board, and Cox said: “As a whole, we had a meeting with the board, and everything was spoken about – we went through everybody’s pros and cons, age, cost, what they could offer going forward, and potential signings that we would be looking at in those positions.

“I don’t really want to talk about individuals, I really want to talk as a whole about how myself, the chairman and the board came to a decision on going forward.

“Part and parcel of it is speaking to the chairman, him giving the go-ahead, and listening to him talk about progression and where he wants the club to go.

“It’s a situation where, to take us forward, I said with about four or five games to go, that although we have a good group of players, if we are going to do better, then we need better quality coming in and more quality in depth. That is key for us to progress.

“When you’ve got people like Beeley and people like Danny Livesey, and others when you go down the list, they are very good players, but to progress, the feeling among the board and everyone is that we need a better quality of footballer coming in, but more importantly, quality in depth to add to the squad.

“I think that is where the decisions from myself, the chairman and the board, came to be made for all the players we haven’t offered new contracts to.”

He added: “It’s never an easy time. I think if you talk to most managers and coaches, the season itself, that’s fun. This is probably the stressful time.

“Myself, the chairman and the board, have had to make decisions on players who have played very well this season.

“It’s a progression of the football that matters.

“The chairman came out and made a statement that we want to put together a squad with the aim of trying to get this club promoted.

“As a whole, we have been a group of people who have had to make some tough decisions on players I think have performed very well this season.

“But, overall, we can’t afford to stand still.

“We need to bring in more players who are looking at a consistency of performance levels that are better than what we had last season. That’s not just in the 11, we need more of them in depth.

“It’s not an easy time. I never enjoy this time of year, and there are some players who have performed admirably last season, who I am sure will do well next season.

“It’s just that tough decisions have had to be made, and now is the point where I have to bring in replacements who myself, the chairman and the board feel are better than the ones we have released.”

FULL RUNDOWN

Players already on contract: Nick Anderton, Richie Bennett, Dan Cockerline, Ross Hannah, Byron Harrison, Liam Hughes, Harry Panayiotou, Jordan Williams.

Players whose contract extensions have been triggered: Moussa Diarra, Alex-Ray Harvey, Paul Turnbull.

Players not offered new contracts: Shaun Beeley, Andy Coughlin, Inih Effiong, Danny Livesey, Lindon Meikle.

Players offered new contracts: Elliot Newby.

Players invited to come back to earn a new contract: Joel Dixon, Andy Parry.

Loan players returning to their parent clubs: Luke Burke (Wigan), Jon Flatt (Wolves), Dan Rowe (Wycombe), Matty Platt (Blackburn), Jack Thomas (Mansfield), Connor Thomson (Blackburn) Shaun Tuton (Barnsley), Akil Wright (Fleetwood).