The dole queue is looming large for most of Joe Dunne's eight Layer Road team-mates who were handed "frees" along with the popular Dubliner at the end of last season.

Only utility player Nicky Haydon, currently training with First Division Ipswich Town, has received a firm offer of a contract - and that is with Nationwide Conference outfit Kettering Town.

Haydon, 21 in August, is desperate to play in the League and is currently working at Portman Road in a bid to land a full-time contract with Town.

He may also link up again with his old U's youth team boss Steve Foley at Norwich City or join Leyton Orient when the east Londoners return from their trip to the Caribbean.

Tamer Fernandes is looking to prove himself in a pre-season deal with Oxford City.

Veteran striker Tony Adcock has quit League football to sign for Heybridge Swifts in the Ryman League.

Midfielder-cum-striker Paul Abrahams is training with Gillingham, but is hoping to link up with former U's team-mate Paul Buckle on Sunday for Third Division Exeter City's trip to Scotland.

Simon Betts, also currently training at Ipswich, has a couple of League club irons in the fire, but his only definite contract opportunities to date have come from non-league Kettering and Scarborough.

Striker Tony Lock's hopes of signing for either Reading or Barnet have both been scuppered.

There have been no offers at all for defender Scott Stamps and midfielder David Rainford.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.