Saintees next to announce clear out

In line with many of the SPL sides Saint Johnstone are planning on making major changes to their squad with nine first team players being released.

Experienced forwards Collin Samuel, Andy Jackson, Peter MacDonald, Jordan Robertson and Scott Dobie all exit the Premier League's lowest scorers.

Goalkeeper Graeme Smith, wingers Danny Invincibile and Cleveland Taylor, plus defender Kevin Rutkiewicz, also leave.

Defender Alan Maybury has been offered a new contract, while under-19 goalkeeper Zander Clark has been offered a short-term contract.

But young players Neil Duffy, Jack Clisby, Ryan Sullivan and Johnny Lindsay have all been released.

There was no mention of Danny Grainger in St Johnstone's list of departures, despite the club website itself suggesting earlier that the 24-year-old former Gretna and Dundee United left-back's second-half appearance on Saturday would be his last for the Perth outfit.

The club are trying as hard as they can to hold on to English defender Michael Duberry but it is expected he will return south to be closer to his family.

With Hibs, Aberdeen, Inverness and St. Mirren already releasing a large number of players there will be a glut of players out there looking for clubs. Particularly with the teams at the top of the First Division doing much the same.

The beneficiaries of this may well be teams in the lower divisions, and maybe even the juniors who could pick up some experience on the cheap.