THE NEW regime is here as Bristol Rovers on Tuesday confirmed details of which players will and will not be retained by manager Ian Atkins for next season.

Outof-contract players to be released are Danny Boxall, Wayne Carlisle, Neil Arndale, Bo Henriksen, Andy Rammell, Anwar Uddin, Graham Hyde - some surprises there. Out of contract and are free to talk to other clubs, but who may yet receive an offer are Rob Quinn and Lee Hodges.

Under contract but who may leave on a free transfer are Simon Bryant, Ryan Williams, Sonny Parker and Ijah Anderson.

The following players are contracted for next season and will be retained are Kevin Miller, Lee Thorpe, David Savage, Lewis Haldane, Ali Gibb, Junior Agogo, John Anderson, Christian Edwards. Players like skipper Adam Barrett, Kevin Austin, Paul Tait and Danny Williams are still in discussions with the club..

This presages a sweeping rebuild by Atkins who has promised to get the side out of the Third Division" by hook or by crook".

After the final 3-0 defeat at already promoted Hill City before 22,000 Atkins on Saturday when Rovers shipped all the goals in a 15-minute spell Atkins reckoned rebuilding would start immediately. He kept his word.

He felt that Hull were worthy winners and that plenty was there to be learned from his players' performances. "They were a very good side, and you can see why they are up at the top of the league getting promoted," he said - probably painfully. "I thought we coped well for 55 minutes or so, but then we let in a sloppy goal from a set-piece and gave them and their crowd some momentum. They picked the pace up after the goal, and despite having worked hard without really hurting them, after the goal they went on to be worthy winners. I think I learned more today about my players. There needs to be a big turnover at the whole club now, from top to bottom.. It won't be an easy job. There are a lot of players here out of contract, and a lot of players here in contract but with no future. Bristol Rovers is a big club, and people will want to join. But I only want people who want to be successful, and who will play with heart and desire and give 100 per cent. It's not an easy job, and will need to be done carefully. But we will bring the right people in stage by stage to get the job done. Our goal next season will be to finish in the top three, or if not that, the top seven."

Rovers have disappointingly withdrawn from staging a game against Iraq next week due to safety concerns.. Chairman Geoff Dunford told bristolrovers..co.uk: "It is very frustrating as we were looking forward to the event but with the date of the game fast approaching certain key safety factors have not been agreed and we have to put the safety of our supporters first."

The game would have coincided with the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Iraqi footballer ever to play in England - Youra Eshaya - a midfielder who enjoyed a 16-month spell with Rovers in the 1950s.

Iraq now play Trinidad and Tobago at West Bromwich on May 23 and a League Select XI at Macclesfield on May 27.