BURY’S end-of-season exodus began in earnest this week with the confirmation that Joe Skarz would be staying on at Rotherham United.

The 23-year-old left-back, who was loaned to the Millers in March as a cost-cutting measure, will sign a two-year deal with them once his contract at Gigg Lane runs out at the end of this month, and it looks like more will follow.

A host of first-teamers will be out of contract in June – including defenders Efe Sodje, Mark Hughes and Carl Regan, midfielders Mark Carrington, Valery Mezague and Tom Soares, striker Craig Fagan and goalkeeper Cameron Belford.

The board of directors, who are still in protracted negotiations with potential investors in a bid to stave off administration, have been unable to offer any of them new deals.

And manager Kevin Blackwell has confirmed that at least two of his remaining nine contracted players - winger David Worrall and captain Steven Schumacher – will probably be sold in the summer.

“One or two of the players could, if a little bit of luck comes their way, find themselves in the Championship,” he said.

“It would be nice to see maybe Schuey (Schumacher) having a little go before it’s too late.

“Young Wozz (Worrall) has got plenty of time ahead of him, but, my word, the roles that he can play at a football club – left-back, right-back, right wing, left wing, centre-forward, midfield, tea lady, kit man – he’s done brilliantly for us.”

While Blackwell is resigned to losing Worrall and Schumacher, he is concerned more players will seek to leave if the club’s financial problems are not sorted out soon.

And, after being unable to hold meanignful talks with the board to plan what he says will be a massive rebuilding job over the summer, Blackwell remains in limbo.    

“The longer we prevaricate it is putting the club on the back foot,” he said.

“They honoured the wages (last Friday) and that helped.

“I hope that is a good sign, but what we can’t do is keep on going from hand to mouth because it is affecting the players and staff.

“It’s not nice coming to work if you’re not sure what you are going to get paid or if you are going to get paid.

“That is what has got to be sorted out and that would bring a bit of calm and a bit of stability to the club.

"But this is a very important time for me, as a manager, and the directors have not communicated anything about the situation.

"I know what I want and need to do, but I am lining up meetings with agents and there is nothing I can say to them because I don't know what is going on.

"We can't sign anyone anyway until the transfer embargo is lifted, which is supposed to be mid-May, but I fear that we are going to lose out on  players and will end up starting the season way behind everyone else."