Blues are retaining just two among a crop of their second year professionals.
A new contract has been offered to Brad Mayo, a third year professional and Blues number three goalkeeper.
Whilst another third year professional, Tommy Fogarty, has departed St. Andrew’s.
Northern Ireland Under-21 international centre-half Fogarty agreed a fresh three-year deal in the summer of 2023.
Fogarty had loan stints at Ebbsfleet, Dunfermline, Boston United and most recently Morecambe after coming through the Academy and turning professional.
A significant change in the youth ranks comes among those who were mainstays of the Under-18s PDL League and Play-off Final double winners – several of whom also helped the Under-21s to the PDL Play-off Final that same season – and subsequently signed their first professional deals two summer ago.
Blues have taken up a year’s option on the contract of midfielder Menzi Mazwi.
Zimbabwe international Mazwi was on the first team substitutes’ bench for eight games on the spin from the end of December but wasn’t given any action by Chris Davies.
Mazwi was loaned to Queen of the South in the Scotland’s League One in February but unfortunately suffered a knee injury after coming on for his debut as a substitute against Cove Rangers.
Goalkeeper Will O’Sullivan is the other second year professional to be kept by Blues. O’Sullivan, who made his National League debut on the final day of the season, on loan to Solihull Moors, has received a new deal.
Like Mazwi, Daniel Isichei spent a period of successive games on the first team bench, at the turn of the year, but he has been released.
The winger was taken on loan by Tamworth in February and made three starts and six substitute appearances for the Lambs in the National League.
Blues have decided not to exercise the 12-month options on the contracts of strikers Ben Wodskou and Frank Tattum.
The pair were the spearhead as Blues Under-18s made history doing the double.
Wodskou scored in the National League during loans spell at both Yeovil Town and Brackley Town this season, whilst Tattum had spells on loan at Alvechurch and Leamington, where he netted five times for the National League North outfit. His loan was cut short to enable him to train with Sheffield Wednesday to close out the campaign.
Defender Godfred Boakye had a loan spell at Sabah FK in Azerbaijan towards the season’s end and his year’s contract option has not been taken up, either.
Fellow centre-half Zac Willis, who was captain of the victorious Under-18s and a mainstay of the Under-21s for the past two seasons, has been released, along with vice-captain and midfielder Cameron Eubank.
Willis went on loan to Peterborough Sports in the National League North for the second part of the season, Eubank to Maidenhead United, of the National League South.
O’Shea Ellis, who was judged young player of the season for Oxford City on loan in the North League North – he also registered the goal of the season – has been let go.
Winger Alvaro Ruiz Rente, who spent a short spell at Stratford Town, has been released and midfielder Cody Pennington, who signed a two-year professional deal in August, 2024 after a trial period, has also left the club.
In regard to first year professionals, Tyrese Warmington, who was a hit on loan at Redditch United this campaign, where the goalkeeper was named players’ player and supporters’ player of the season, has had his contract option activated.
Centre-half Billy Burrell, Blues Under-21s captain who has been among the substitutes for the first team this season, has also had his 12-month option taken up, as has right-back Caleb Sanders and the versatile Alezandro da Silva.
The 12-month option on striker Briar Bateman, who was named on the first team bench in January and February, has been triggered.
George Wynne – loaned to Bromsgrove Sporting, where the midfielder was named manager’s player of the season – has not had the option on his contract taken up, nor has forward Yusuf Ahmed or defender Trae Briscoe.
Goalkeeper Szymon Terenowicz has also left Blues on the expiry of his contract.
Attacker Zaid Betteka, the only Academy product to play for Blues first team this season, as a 114th minute extra-time substitute in the FA Cup, remains under contract for another season.
Right-back Byron Pendleton also. He scooped players’ player and captain’s player of the season despite only figuring on loan for Brackley Town in the National League since December. Earlier this season he was loaned to Yeovil Town.
Blues Under-21s endured a tough season in the PL2, as a new Category One Academy. By the turn of the year, the majority of their senior players were out on loan.
The appointment of Mark Kennedy as coach proved unsatisfactory – he left in February – and Blues finished 27th out of 29 teams, failing to make the play-offs. They also finished bottom of their Premier League Cup group.
