Paul Jewell defended his players who are currently in the midst of considering new contract offers.

“They are not being greedy,” he stressed, and in a direct response to chief executive Simon Clegg’s statement last week that the club would not be held to ransom if players are unhappy with the terms of the offers the club has made, Town manager Jewell went on:

“Yes they are looking after themselves. And surely they are entitled to do that.

“I see these players every day in training and know how much professionalism they have shown.

“Not once has any of them ducked an issue or given anything less than 100%.

“And from what they have told me they all want to stay.”

Jewell had talks with Damien Delaney and his agent last week, and the Republic of Ireland international is set to sign a contract extension early this week. McAuley’s agent has also been seen.

Jewell added: “There should be some news later today and we have two perhaps three perhaps more other deals that we hope to be able to get a decision on very soon as well.”

Jewell, who along with coach Sean McCarthy watched his former club Bradford City in League Two action at Southend United on Friday night, was delighted with his team’s fourth win in five games, achieved despite being down to 10 men for 62 minutes after Lee Martin was sent off.

“I’d rather do it with 11 men,” he added. “Playing with 10 for an hour on a hot day was always going to be difficult, but you could see how hard the lads worked.

“We kept our shape, had a little bit of luck at times, but in the second half I can’t remember our goalkeeper having too many saves to make.

“In fact, if we’d have been a little more clinical we could have scored a couple more goals.”

ARE Town players being too greedy? Let us know - e-mail starsport@eveningstar.co.uk. k.