Six shown the door at Pools - but Porter stays

12:02pm Friday 9th May 2008

AUSSIE striker Joel Porter looks set to stay at Hartlepool United after the club took up an option to extend his contract.

It has been widely suggested that Porter has been tempted to move back Down Under, where a couple of clubs in New Zealand are interested in his services.

But, while six players were released this morning including full-back Robbie Elliott, Pools have announced that Porter is one of nine players to have had options on their contracts taken up.

Willie Boland, James Brown, Gary Liddle, Michael Mackay, Andy Monkhouse, Michael Nelson, Matty Robson and Martin Young are the others to have been given extensions. Young forward David Foley has been made an offer of a new contract.

But it was not all good news, with former Newcastle defender Elliott, Ali Gibb, Scott Allison, Tom Haigh, Michael Rae and Stephen Turnbull all told their existing deals would not be renewed.

Defender Godwin Antwi, meanwhile, has returned to Liverpool after fulfilling his season long loan.