Hawks manager Jamie Collins prepares for busy summer of squad rebuilding by releasing six players

He has left himself with only 12 contracted players for the 2023/24 National League South campaign.

Collins had to act after a nightmare second half of the last season resulted in Hawks failing to make the play-offs for the second year running.

After looking nailed on in early January for a top three finish, they picked up only one win in their final 16 league games.

In all, Hawks banked just 10 points out of a possible 48 to finish 10th, five points outside the top seven.

And for a club with arguably one of the top six budgets in their division, that is - as Collins has stated - a ‘failure.’

Joash Nembhard, Paul Rooney, Gianni Crichlow, Oscar Gobern, Danny Wright and Jake Andrews are the half dozen released.

In addition, former Pompey centre half Sam Magri has been offered new terms but appears set to leave Westleigh Park.

In a statement released via his wife Ellie’s Twitter account, Magri posted ‘Been a pleasure the Hawks … plenty of good times …fans top quality … thanks for everything’.

Magri has been at Hawks since the summer of 2019, when he was part of an influx of signings by then new boss Paul Doswell.

Both Gobern and Rooney arrived in the summer of 2021, having played together at Dover Athletic in the National League.

Andrews arrived in December 2011, initially on loan from Torquay, while his ex-Gulls colleague Wright, Nembhard and Crichlow were signed last summer.

Crichlow failed to make a real impression and was twice loaned out in 2022/23 - first to Gosport Borough in the Southern League Premier South and then to Hawks’ divisional rivals Dulwich Hamlet.

Andrews didn’t feature at all last season, loaned out to Poole Town initially and then to Gloucester City in the National League North.

Wright, who turns 39 in September, did score seven league goals for Hawks.

The 12 players still under contract at Westleigh Park are Ross Worner, Josh Passley, Joe Newton, Joe Oastler, Jake McCarthy, Callum Kealy, Tyrell Miller-Rodney, James Roberts, Mo Faal, Charlie Ruff, Sam Matthews and Tommy Wright.

Fans didn’t see some of those players much last season - Worner sustained a season-ending knee injury in November, Wright was loaned out to AFC Totton mid-season, following a knee injury that required surgery, and Matthews, only signed in January, missed the final few weeks through an injury that will now need an operation.

In recent seasons, Hawks have operated with a squad of around 17/18 contracted players, with the squad boosted by loanees.

Four such players ended 2022/23 at the club - Jack Jebb (from Dorking), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea), Ethan Burnett (Reading) and Ben Shroll (Aldershot). All have now returned to their parent clubs.

As well as Magri, Hawks have also offered terms to youngster Leon Baker, who ended last season on loan at Sholing.

In terms of where to strengthen, Collins obviously needs to bring in new central defenders as he looks to shape predecessor Doswell’s squad into one he wants.

At present, captain Joe Oastler is the only recognised centre half following Nembhard’s release and Shroll’s return to Aldershot.

Rooney did play at the back on occasions - though Doswell preferred him in midfield - while Jake McCarthy was another who filled in when Nembhard missed a few months last season with a foot injury.

Collins could also look to bring in more experience – at present, Oastler – who turns 33 in July – and Tyrell Miller-Rodney, 29, are the only two contracted outfield players over the age of 27.

At least Collins still has Hawks’ main goalscorers under contract.

Mo Faal (21 goals) was the fourth highest scorer in the NL South in what was his first season at the club.

James Roberts was the second highest Hawks league marksman with 14 goals - the same number as Callum Kealy, who arrived in early February.

Kealy only netted twice for Hawks, with his other 12 goals scored for Worthing - including a hat-trick at Westleigh Park in the Sussex club’s 5-1 romp in December.