Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz heads a list of seven players axed by Dover boss Nicky Forster after Athletic’s failure to reach the Blue Square Bet South play-offs.

The Whites boss spent five hours meeting with his 20-man squad individually in a hotel in Dartford on Monday night and broke the news that seven first-teamers would not be returning, while forward George Purcell was released from his contract by mutual consent after a disagreement about his best playing position.

The players not returning to Crabble next year are Jaimez-Ruiz, Phil Starkey, Michael Noone, Ed Harris, Jemal Johnson, James Walker and Donovan Simmonds.

Forster (pictured) has offered new contracts to Shane Huke, Michael Corcoran, Lee Hook, Barry Cogan, Tom Axford, Steve Watt, Glen Southam and Billy Bricknell while Sean Raggett, Tom Wynter, Ian Simpemba, Lloyd Harrington and Terry Dixon are already under contract for next season.

The players have until next Friday (May 11) to agree terms.

Forster said: "It was a disappointment not to get into the play-offs this season. I thought we were good enough but at times we lacked ruthlessness in front of goal.

"There were too many off-field issues that I ended up babysitting. "It is my job to take this club forward and that is what I am trying to do."

He added: "I don’t want to get into the ins and outs of why individual players have been released but it is fair to say that goalkeeper is an area we can improve on. I had some misgivings about some aspects of Ruiz’s game."

He also revealed: "George (Purcell) and I sat down and it soon became clear that while I consider his best position to be on the left-side, he wants to play through the middle. I told him his chances would be limited in that position and after a frank discussion, we came to an amicable agreement to part ways."