RONAN Murray, Joe Whight, Jack Ainsley and Cormac Burke have all been told that they will be released by Ipswich Town when their contracts expire in the summer.

The striker Murray – who is currently on loan at League Two side Plymouth – has made one start and 13 substitute appearances for the first team, his one goal coming in a League Cup victory over Exeter.

The Irish youngster, 21, joined the Ipswich academy in 2007. And having been loaned out to Torquay and Swindon in recent years, he has been capped by the Republic of Ireland from Under-16 to U21 level.

Former Copleston High School pupil Whight joined the academy when he was 12. The left-back/centre-back – who is currently on loan with Essex-based Blue Square South side Chelmsford City – has been a regular for the reserves and has been an unused sub for the first team on a number of occasions.

Whight wrote on social networking website Twitter: “Hopefully the start of something, not the end.”

Northern Irish U19 international Cormac Burke, 19, joined the academy after leaving school and made his only first team appearance as an 89th minute sub in the League Cup tie at home to Bristol Rovers on the opening day of this season.

Ipswich-born Ainsley – capable of playing at right-back or centre-back – made his sole start for the first team in the 7-1 defeat at Peterborough last season, having previously made two sub appearances. Like Whight, he too is currently on loan at Chelmsford.

Icelandic youngster Gunnar Thorsteinsson has also been told that he will not be getting a deal when his academy terms come to an end this summer.

McCarthy said: “They are all great lads but they need to go out and play. I hope they go on to have good careers, but I don’t generally release players who I think are good enough to make it in my team.”

The other first team squad members whose contracts are up in the summer are Lee Martin, Andy Drury, Arran Lee-Barrett and recent signing Jason Brown.

Academy quintet Jack Marriott, Tom Winter, Jonny Leddy, Mark Timlin and David October have all been offered professional deals.