HARTLEPOOL United have been accused of showing too much loyalty to their players of late; in the last two weeks they have unceremoniusly ditched the club's most constant servants.

After Micky Barron was first dumped as first-team coach, Ritchie Humphreys was released from his playing contract yesterday.

Between them the pair played 905 times for the club (Barron 361 and Humphreys 544) and started 181 times together. Both have enjoyed richly-deserved testimonial seasons, each have a street named after them in Hartlepool, and both are now at a crossroads.

After such comprehensive service, Barron deserved better than an initial three-line statement on the club website, likewise Humphreys - who found out about his exit from third parties while on a family holiday in America without as much as a phone call from the club.

In the last couple of seasons he was shunted to the bench under both Mick Wadsworth and Neale Cooper and, as he studied for his coaching badges, Humphreys looked set for a backroom role at Victoria Park.

But he became a mainstay in the side under John Hughes and was one of Pools' better performers in the second half of the season.

Now 35, there's still a season or two left in him and there's plenty of clubs near his Sheffield home who will be weighing up a move.

Chesterfield, where Chris Turner - who signed him for Pools in 2001 - is chief executive, is a realistic proposition and there's every chance he will come up against Pools in League Two next season.

Pools needed a summer shake-up following relegation from League One this season. Colin Cooper is to be imminently announced as manager and the new boss will need to add to the current squad.

There's been no massive shake-up to the playing rosta following relegation, only two regulars in Evan Horwood and Humphreys have been released.

Three mainstays - Sam Collins, Andy Monkhouse and Neil Austin - have had their contracts extended.

Striker Steve Howard is likely to exit, after he went to Sheffield Wednesday on loan at the end of the season and rediscovered his mojo amid a flat season back at Pools.

He's still got at least a year left on his contract, but Pools will hope to come to an agreement when they meet up for talks with the 37-year-old.

And there's every chance goalkeeper Scott Flinders will move on. The club's player of the season has admirers from higher divisions.

Bristol City are keen, while he is on Leicester's list if and when Kasper Schmeichel moves on.

Pools could command a decent fee for Flinders, with a ready-made replacement available to return.

Dimi Konstantopoulos was outstanding last time Pools were in League Two, before moving on.

He's currently back in Hartlepool, out of contact, and, with his club AEK Athens in financial turmoil, would be an ideal and popular replacement for Flinders.

Barron moved to Pools in 1996 from Middlesbrough and has been captain, youth team coach, reserve team manager and caretaker boss, assisted by Humphreys.

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Barron led Pools out as skipper in their finest hour, the 2005 play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium against Sheffield Wednesday.

Ironically, that occasion only arrived after Humphreys' winning penalty in the semi-final shoot-out at Tranmere.

That spot-kick was his Stuart Pearce moment, scoring from the spot in a sudden-death finale three years after his penalty stuck the bar, post and keeper and stayed out of the Cheltenham goal as Pools lost in the most agonising of circumstances.

Barron and Humphreys were together for two promotion seasons and five play-off campaigns.

Humphreys holds more Hartlepool records than the club's PA announcer: most appearances, surpassing Watty Moore's previous best of 472; most consecutive appearances (234), first player for the club to make 200 consecutive appearances; twice named in the PFA team of the season (2003 and 2007), North-East Football League player of the season (2006-07); Hartlepool's player of the decade (2000s) and player of the century and club player of the year awards in 2002-03, 2005-06 and 2007-08.

Turner described him as "the best signing in the history of Hartlepool United'', while Humphreys was also a major dressing room influence over the years.

The shop steward was behind the team spirit that engineered success in the early part 2000s. He is now part of the PFA management committee.

His last goal for Pools was in the 3-2 win at Sheffield United in December, the club he supported as a boy.

A club statement, released early yesterday morning read: "Long-serving Ritchie Humphreys has been released from Hartlepool United after it was decided that the option in his contract would not be taken up.

"While also excelling as a player, Humphreys has also begun to turn his eye to coaching in recent years and just last month was thrilled to gain his UEFA A Licence qualification.

"His time at Pools comes to an end with Humphreys having played an incredible 544 games for the Club in all, scoring 37 - often spectacular - goals along the way.

"He leaves with the best wishes of everyone at Hartlepool United for the future and we would like to thank him for his outstanding efforts over the last twelve years.''