York City chief Terry Dolan today revealed his reasons for cutting free third year trainees Scott Emmerson, Kieran Darlow, Marc Salvati and Ben Rhodes.

The decision means striker Emmerson, wingers Darlow and Salvati and midfielder Rhodes - who have all played in the first team - are now free to find other clubs.

Dolan said: "We have decided to release all four because we just feel they have not progressed as much as would have liked.

"People may say they have all played in the first team and have first-team experience. They have, but so have other youngsters like Leigh Wood and Stuart Wise.

"We have to think about improving the standard of the squad which, if you look at it, is already quite young.

"To have four more 18 or 19-year-olds in the squad could have made it unbalanced.

"We just feel they need to be pushing for a regular place in the first-team and after three years Leigh Wood has done that, the others haven't.

"We are probably not going to have a bigger squad for next season than we have now so we have to think carefully about having some leeway to bring players in."

Dolan said he hoped the youngsters would be able to get fixed up elsewhere.

"From the players' point of view, all four have had a sample of the first team which will hopefully benefit them and stand them in good stead for forging their careers elsewhere," he said.

"In some cases, they got their chances because of injuries but looking at it as a positive other clubs may see that they have had first team experience and may, as a result, decide to have a look at them."

On Wednesday night, Emmerson played for Darlington's reserves in their 1-0 win over Grimsby Town but it is understood the Quakers will not be following up their interest in the young striker.

Emmerson, 19, has made six substitute appearances this season but has not started a first-team City game.

He sprung to prominence last season when he scored the winner at Rochdale on his full debut. It was his only senior goal but lifted City off the bottom of the Football League and helped them claw clear of relegation.

Darlow, also 19, made his senior debut as a 17-year-old and while still a first-year trainee. However, he made just one substitute appearance last season and has started just one senior game this season, against Scunthorpe in November.

Fellow winger Salvati, 19, has made seven substitute appearances this season and scored in 2-1 defeat at Carlisle, the only game he started, back in September.

Rhodes, 18, has made just one first-team appearance, coming on as a substitute in the 3-1 defeat at Darlington back in December.

With the quartet being shown the door, following Chris Gowen, Gary Ormston and Adam Russell, who were released last season, and Peter Vasey, who was cut free earlier this year, it means only Wood and goalkeeper John Collinson of the 1999 trainee intake have been offered professional terms for next season.

York City's intermediates suffered a 5-1 defeat at home to Grimsby Town in their Merit Division Football League Youth Alliance clash.

City were forced to play with six under-16s and one under-15 player in a an under-19 competition with Adam Arthur, one of the under-16 players on duty, scoring City's only goal.

The youngsters are in action again on Saturday when they travel to take on Mansfield.

Updated: 12:22 Friday, April 05, 2002