FANS' favourite Paul Powell's 12-year spell with Oxford United is over after he got the news he was half-expecting - that he was being released.

The third division club have decided not to offer new contracts to either left back Powell or reserve team goalkeeper Ian McCaldon.

But most of the other six out-of-contract players have been told they will get a new deal, if they take a pay cut.

United chairman Firoz Kassam has still to see two out-of-contract players, David Oldfield and Roy Hunter, who were not at the ground yesterday.

But I understand that Bobby Ford and Steve Basham, whose deals ended last Saturday, have been told they will be offered a contract on reduced terms, as have Dave Savage and last season's leading scorer Andy Scott, the only one who was on big money.

Powell said: "It's not exactly a surprise. I was half-expecting this.

"But it's still a sad day for me because I'm an Oxford United fan.

"I haven't had the opportunities I was hoping for and now I've got to look elsewhere.

"Where that will be I don't know, but my agent says he knows of interest from a few clubs, two first division, two in the second division and a couple from the third division and Conference.

"But whether that interest turns into any offers remains to be seen."

Powell has been at Oxford such a long time it is easy to forget he is only 24.

"I've just finished my seventh year here as a professional," he said. "Before that, I had a couple as a trainee and three or four with the Centre of Excellence."

The Wallingford-born left back made 203 league and cup appearances for the U's, but had only a handful of starts this campaign when Matt Robinson made the position his own.

He did, however, come off the bench to score the late equaliser in the 2-2 draw at home to Torquay, and it was his successful penalty, at Charlton, which kept United in their penalty shoot-out, which they eventually won 6-5.

Manager Ian Atkins said: "Paul was on big, big money. By moving away from Oxford and hopefully getting another club, he will flourish again.

"He probably stood still for the last three or four years. I've tried to give him as much help as I can, but some people need to get away from the area they are in.

"We'll give him all the help that we can in finding him another club."

On Scottish keeper McCaldon, Atkins said: "Ian's a terrific professional. I've got a lot of time for him but clubs in the lower divisions now struggle to afford two experienced goalkeepers.

"I would maybe have liked to have offered Ian reduced terms, but by the same token, he wants to be a first-team player and hopefully he may get a club in Scotland, which he would probably like."

United have also shown their desire to keep centre back Paul McCarthy by holding talks with him.

UNITED boss Ian Atkins will be lining up with a team of old Shrewsbury Town players against Sky One's Dream Team, Harchester United, in a charity fund-raising match at Gay Meadow tomorrow.