Saints youngsters leave in reserves shake up.

Last updated : 06 March 2002 By Christian Kelly
Southampton have released midfielder Kevin Gibbens and strikers Adrian Caceres and Adam Wallace. Gibbens had been on the fringes of the squad for some time but never quite showed enough to break into it. Caceres was a very promising youth player but it is felt that he wasn't quite good enough to make the grade in the premiership.

Adam Wallace, much like Kevin Gibbens has suffered from injury and he will join up with ex Saints boss Dave Merrington at Walsall on trial. The trio would have been out of contract in the summer and their departure should allow more room for the club's current crop of youngsters to progress that bit quicker.

Steve Wigley told the club's official website: "Both have got something to offer and probably need a fresh start somewhere else. They have been at the club a while but if they are not going to feature then it is best to let them go now.

"That gives them time to get fixed up now before the rush of players looking for clubs over the summer. At the moment we feel the Premier League is a step to far for them but there is no reason why both should not step down and get their careers going again.

"That is what we hope. We are not in the business of wanting them to fail. There is nothing we would like more than for both to prove us wrong and we wish them well."