Unwanted trio Eddie Hutchinson, Alex Jeannin and Joel Ledgister have been told if they want to play football, they need to leave Oxford United.

The no-nonsense message has come from boss Darren Patterson, who says the trio have been informed, in no uncertain terms, that they will not feature in his plans next season.

So although all three are still under contract to Oxford, they will end up just wasting and whiling their time away at United, without even getting close to a taste of first-team action.

Hutchinson, who joined the U's on a three-year contract from Brentford two years ago, is one of the club's biggest wage earners and Patterson wants to offload him to continue his rebuilding plans.

The midfielder, twin brother of Woking centre half Tom, has already turned down a move this summer, after rejecting possible moves last season as well.

"There's been a deal that we've spoken about that this particular player has refused," Patterson said, referring to the latest lined-up move.

"The club concerned have been fantastic about it.

"The boy is under no illusions what he's coming back to if he doesn't move on. It's the same with all three of them - they are not in my future plans and if they really want to play fotball they need to find another club. But they have known this for two months.

"They are like others who were here last season. Too many were in the comfort zone, we've carried people for far too long."

French defender Jeannin, who was on loan at Kidderminster for the second half of last season, has recently turned down a year-long loan deal with a club.

Patterson says Ledgister's position is slightly different, because he is still young, and is not a big drain on the club's wages. But his attitude "stinks", according to the U's boss, and he doesn't want him around the club.

"These players won't even be coming on tour with us, even if they haven't moved on," he added.

"I want to make sure we're tighter in the dressing room next season, I'm looking for a seige mentality, with the players, the staff, the fans and everyone . . . with everything focused on us being together to try to be successful."