Stanley boss John Coleman has begun his preparations for next season by releasing three players and offering new deals to four of his squad.

Coleman’s men signed off their League One campaign with a draw at Portsmouth which saw them finish 14th in the table on 55 points. But attentions have quickly turned to the 2019/20 season with Stanley announcing that Danny Williams, Will Wood and Liam Nolan will all be released at the end of their contracts.

Goalkeeper Jonny Maxted, midfielder Scott Brown and defenders Ben Richards-Everton and Mark Hughes are all in contract talks with the club.

Stanley already have a number of players under contract next season and will hope to add central defender Hughes to that list after he featured in all 46 League One fixtures this season.

Hughes signed a new one-year deal with a one-year option last year, though the club expect him to put pen-to-paper on a fresh deal.

Maxted, who signed from Guiseley in January 2018, found himself behind Conor Ripley in the pecking order in the first half of the season, but after he returned to parent club Middlesbrough before being sold to Preston in January, the 25-year-old has become more of a regular of late.

Competing with Dimi Evtimov, who has 12 months left to run on the deal he signed in January, Maxted played 26 times.

Midfielder Brown also penned a new deal last year and the club are in talks with the 33-year-old who featured in 29 league matches, while Richards-Everton’s versatility across the backline has been key for boss Coleman this season, playing 26 times.

Remaining with the club for at least another year, after the options in their deals were triggered, are Jordan Clark, captain Seamus Conneely, Erico Sousa and Academy products Reagan Ogle and Zehn Mohammed.

Stanley will also welcome back Piero Mingoia and Andy Scott from their loan spells at Morecambe and Stalybridge.

Departing the club after their loan deals ended are Luke Armstrong (Middlesbrough), Dan Barlaser (Newcastle), Janoi Donacien (Ipswich), Liam Gibson (Newcastle) and Paul Smyth (QPR).

They join the trio of Wood, Williams and Nolan in leaving the club, while Evtimov, Callum Johnson, Harvey Rodgers, Ross Sykes, Sam Finley, Sean McConville, Offrande Zanzala and Billy Kee remain under contract.

Full back Wood arrived at the Wham Stadium last summer from Southampton but struggled to force his way in to the side, leaving having made just one League One start for the club.

A lack of opportunities for the 22-year-old saw his loaned to National League side Havant & Waterlooville where he made eight appearances between October and January before returning to East Lancashire. His last outing came in the 2-0 defeat at Barnsley in April which happened to be his sole start.

Winger Williams, aged 31, signed for Stanley last January but made just one appearance as the Reds secured promotion to League One. The former Clitheroe man was loaned to AFC Fylde, and his only game for Stanley this season came as a substitute in the 5-1 win over Plymouth last month.

Nolan also spent time away from the Wham Stadium on loan this season, playing seven times for National League high-fliers Salford between October and January. The 24-year-old former Crewe Alexandra man featured 39 times across his two years at the club. 

A club spokesman said: “Everyone at Stanley would like to thank them for playing their part in helping the Reds secure League One football next season.”