NEW Forest Green boss Mark Cooper has released seven players following the Wembley defeat to Grimsby Town on Sunday, but is keen to keep hold of captain Aarran Racine, Darren Carter and Dale Bennett.

Cooper is also in talks with goalkeeper Steve Arnold and midfielders Sam Wedgbury and Marcus Kelly.

And the club exercised the option of an extra year on the contracts of Elliott Frear, Charlie Clough, Kurtis Guthrie and Rob Sinclair.

Cooper met with club captain David Pipe, James Jennings, Clovis Kamdjo, Delano Sam-Yorke, Brett Williams and Lenny Pidgeley at The New Lawn this morining as he looks to put his marker down for next season.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dale Eve was released before the Promotion Final.

Wembley hero Keanu Marsh-Brown, Jon Parkin, Jonny Maxted, Kieffer Moore, Ben Jefford, Anthony Jeffrey, Louis McGrory and young Academy graduate Joe Stokes are already contracted for next season.