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" It has been a difficult day, it's not very nice, last week I had to tell young kids who had aspirations of being a professional footballer that we weren't going to take them on next year. Then you've got seasoned professionals, but we've made the decisions on trying to take the club forward and that is the reason why we have done it.
" We've spoken to all the players individually, I spoke to Kevin Gray yesterday actually because he is doing his coaching course this afternoon, so he knew yesterday. I spoke to Derek Holmes, Paul Murray and Liam Atkin today and I explained my reasons to them. It was a difficult situation with Paul Murray because when he has played he has done reasonably well, but fourteen games is not enough in my eyes. To wait for somebody to keep on coming back from injury was a major concern, I think the players who have come in have certainly risen to that level.
" Luke Joyce is an attacking midfield player and has scored one goal in seven games and we are pleased with his progress. Whereas Paul played 14 games and scored one and he is our most attacking midfield player. There are lots of things to think about but the main one was that he has been injury prone over the last couple of seasons, and I just felt as though we had to move on from that.
" We are very pleased with Luke's performances this season, it's taken him some time to get established in the team and once he got into the team he's had a little bit of a run. He's scored a goal which is excellent and he's contributed much, much better than he did at the start of the season which is great. Along with Danny Kirkup and Adam Bradley they have been offered one-year deals which is good. They are young kids still learning their trade, with still a lot to do but they have got the desire to try to get into the team which is excellent. "
" We've offered one-year extensions to Kevin Gall and David Raven which they have accepted, which is excellent. I think those two have had brilliant seasons, they have cemented their place in the team, they have been two of our best players all the way through the season and they thoroughly deserved a one-year extension. Then obviously Chris Howarth, and Shaun Vipond have been offered two-year deals so that is everybody spoken to.
" I spoke to the rest of the players and they are all under contract anyway so it was just saying 'congratulations on a fantastic season. You do realise it's going to be harder next year, we have to go on to a different level next year, have a good summer and make sure you come back raring to go.' I think that if they come back half as well as they did last year then we'll be in good fettle. The ones who I haven't mentioned are all under contract so it was just a case of saying to come back fighting for your place and come back raring to go.
" He (Kevin Gray) is a top professional, he's a top fellow as well and to sit down to him and say that I think we have to move on from you. He's been a fantastic servant of the football club, he's been an integral part of the team which came from the Conference all the way up. He's even played a fantastic effort this season in the games that he played so far so that was a difficult one. He is coming to the end of his career though. I still think that he maybe got one more season in him whether it be lower down, that remains to be seen who comes in for him, I'm sure he'll have plenty of offers. We certainly wish all the lads that I spoke to today every success in whatever happens in the future.
" The outcome with Karl Hawley and Peter Murphy was that I need a decision by Friday and that is the deadline that I have set. Hopefully both of them will come back with either a yes or a no and we will we know where we stand. There was an improved offer for Murph, I think he has had an outstanding season, I think we've given him plenty of time to make his mind up. Unfortunately he wasn't going to give us an answer today so I have given him until Friday. "
" Karl has had an offer for quite a while which is fantastic, they are both fantastic offers for the stature of the club and the position where we are in the divisions. I think it's about time that they come out and say whether or not they are definitely stopping. We've got nothing to play for, everybody is finished and we'll see where we lie on Friday. I think we move on after that, I think they've had plenty of time to decide what they are doing. They can say that they'll wait until the play-offs have finished, or they'll wait until the Championship has finished but I want to know before that.
" I'll get a holiday, there are a lot of people that say you have to turn your phone off, but I very rarely turn my phone off to tell you the truth. I can put it on silent or on vibrate but I'm always available even when I'm going on holiday. My wife might not be too pleased with that but that's the way the job is and if somebody needs to speak to me, or we're in discussions, then I'm always available. I never switch off during the season and I probably won't during the summer. At the same time we're still going to have a nice holiday because I think we've worked very, very hard. I think to get away with the family and relax, and recharge the batteries is the perfect thing to do.
" I'm sure the pre-season games have already been confirmed, we've got five games in pre-season, and the boys will be working very, very hard like they did last year. We're looking forward to the fixture list coming out which sets everybody up to see how we are playing on the first game of the season. We've got some fantastic opposition to play against in Leeds and Southend, we've even got Luton to contend with who have been in the Championship for the last couple of years.
" Then we've got Hartlepool, Swindon, Walsall and then whoever gets promoted through the play-offs. So it's going to be a fascinating league to play in next year and it's going to be very, very difficult to get where we want to be, and that's above where we finished this year. "
" I think Sam Allardyce will be a fantastic appointment for Newcastle, I think that Newcastle need Sam. He can deal with top players, he can get the best out of them and he gets results. Surely that's what a football club wants, they want their team to play attractive football but they also want to win and he does both.
" I'm from that area, I've played for the club and I was the youngest one to play for Newcastle at the same time so it's still close to my heart. Sam is his own man which you have to be in a place which lives and breathes football, you have to be strong and he is strong. He knows his football, he knows his players, he knows World football very, very well and it's getting that base right from top to bottom.
" He's done that at Bolton and there is no reason why he can't do it at Newcastle because it is a fantastic place. If he gets them in the top four or even winning the Premiership then he becomes a legend alongside the likes of Jackie Milburn and even Alan Shearer. They haven't won a major trophy for a long time so they have to be a sleeping giant. They've got 52,000 going every week and there might be an extension to the ground which takes it even higher so they can compete with the big clubs. If somebody can turn that round then I'm sure that if Sam is given the chance then he will be the man to do it.
" I'll be sitting watching the game tonight, and I'm sure it will be a good game. I think they are sending their strongest team because they'll want to win the game, and obviously we'll want to win the game as well. I'm sure there will be a little crowd in, it's local rivalry which is excellent, the pitch is in fantastic nick and it's a good game to finish off the season I think. "