Both players have been informed that they can leave for free in an effort to ease the wage bill in order to finance new signings. Balmer (pictured) is a close friend of Duxbury and signed for Athletic two years ago from Wigan on a Bosman free. Not very popular with former boss Mick Wadsworth, he was dropped three times
last season, and since the humiliating loss at home to Cardiff he has been playing in the reserves.