IT IS that time of year again, as City and other Football League clubs release and retain ahead of a busy summer of transfer activity.
Nine men left Valley Parade last May, and there were some big names in there too, like defensive lynchpin Anthony O'Connor, promising full-back Connor Wood and popular striker Lee Novak.
One year on from their departures, we take a look at how the nine have got on since.
ANTHONY O'CONNOR
The Irishman joined League One Morecambe in the close season, and was named captain on the opening day against Ipswich.
After losing the armband for a while, he was re-installed as skipper for the helter-skelter defeat to Wimbledon in September, and held it almost continuously for the next six months.
O'Connor netted against Spurs in the FA Cup too, but that coincided with Morecambe going two months without a league win, as departed City boss Derek Adams rejoined the club.
The Cork native found himself out of the squad after a 4-1 defeat to Wigan, and only played three minutes of football in the final month of the season, as Morecambe just avoided the drop.
Despite being on a two-year deal, he has been made available for transfer.
CONNOR WOOD
Wood joined City's League Two rivals Leyton Orient in the close season on a two-year deal.
A regular early on playing largely on the left side of midfield, he found himself on the bench for a spell from late-October.
He made a brief return to the starting line up, before going six games without playing a minute in the New Year.
But after returning in a more familiar left-back role for the game with Carlisle in late February, he started all but one of their final 16 games, and will remain at the club for next season.
LEE NOVAK
Novak started the 2020/21 season as City's key striker, but injuries began to plague him, and a knee problem last January proved far worse than first feared.
He did return towards the end of the season, but admitted to the T&A's Simon Parker that something did not feel right, and after a meeting with a specialist, who advised him his knee would worsen if he carried on, he chose to call it quits, as much for his daughter as anything else.
He is keen to stay in football, with chances arising for him to go into agency work.
CLAYTON DONALDSON
Donaldson stayed in Yorkshire, but dropped down a couple of level to join York in National League North.
After scoring four goals in his first six games, he has been rotated more as the season has gone on.
But that has obviously worked for York, as a strong end to the season has seen his side reach the National League North play-offs.
They won their eliminator against Chorley on Wednesday, with Donaldson coming off the bench, and they visit Brackley in a semi-final today.
BILLY CLARKE
The much-loved Clarke, who left last May after a third spell at City, had hoped to go into coaching at the club, but did not get that chance.
He officially retired last August, and just three weeks later, he was brought in by Hull as their Under-18s assistant manager.
The club play in the Professional Development League, with Clarke assisting John Anderson at the East Yorkshire side.
HARRY PRITCHARD
Pritchard was a regular in 2020/21 up until the New Year, but then it all went wrong, and a back injury ruled him out for pretty much the whole of the second half of the season.
After his release, he joined Eastleigh in the National League, where he has been a regular this season.
Playing all across the midfield, and even a couple of games up top, he made 39 league appearances as Eastleigh came 19th in the 23-team table.
ZELI ISMAIL
Poor Ismail could not catch a break at City and constantly found himself on the treatment table.
After his departure, he was snapped up by Hereford, though a contract dispute meant he left in September and didn't rejoin until November.
Having left in January, he turned York's offer after a trial, with their manager John Askey questioning whether his motives were purely money-based.
Ismail eventually signed a deal with Newtown, who play in the Cymru Premier, the top tier of Welsh football.
WILL HUFFER
Having had the rare distinction of being at Leeds, Bradford (Park Avenue) and City, Huffer struggled to settle after leaving the Bantams in the summer.
He signed for Guernsey, Telford and Stalybridge Celtic, but failed to make any of those moves stick.
But he has found a happy home at Isthmian League South East Division side Burgess Hill Town, and ended up making 26 appearances this season.
CONNOR SHANKS
Attacking midfielder Shanks was snapped up by Huddersfield on a free in August after leaving City in May.
Having only just turned 20, he is part of their B team, and went on loan to Nuneaton in the Southern League Premier Division Central.
He then made a temporary move to Boston in the National League North, where he remains now.
Sadly, he has been unable to make any individual impact on their run to the play-offs, having been sidelined with injury since arriving.
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