STEPHEN Bywater has agreed a new one-year deal to extend his stay at Burton Albion.
The experienced keeper first joined the club in January 2016 and will now continue his stay at the Pirelli Stadium for the 2019/20 League One campaign.
The club will be looking to hold negotiations with Brad Collins (whose loan deal from Chelsea is expiring), skipper Jake Buxton and defender John Brayford (who are out of contract).
Nigel Clough is also hoping to keep Alex Bradley at the club.
But Kyle McFadzean, Harry Campbell, Will Miller and Damien McCrory will be leaving as their current deals expire.
Josh Clarke will return to Brentford at the end of his loan.
Clough is delighted that Bywater has already agreed terms.
He said: “Stephen has had a lot of time on the bench, but we had that comfort of having a good second choice who can step in as he has done.
“We have Callum Hawkins as well as and we know we have Stephen there if we don’t get Brad Collins, he has that experience. And you can’t underestimate how working with an experienced goalkeeper helps young players. Stephen’s distribution and the way he comes for crosses is the best we have got, and the others are learning from him."
Bywater said: “I’m really looking forward to it. Everyone will come back fitter and stronger as that’s what you do these days in the off-season. We want to go to Peterborough tomorrow and win and end on a high. The time will then go quickly as you prepare for pre-season - it’s not just a holiday - and we will come back very positive and ready to go.”
Nigel Clough went on to thank the players who are leaving the club.
He said: “We would like to thank them for their efforts for the football club and they go with all our best for the future. Some of them have been around the club for quite a while and Damien is our longest serving player and we wish them all well.”