It would have been some line-up available to Posh in the Championship last season, especially if the few good loan players had also been persuaded to stay.
Here’s an all-star Posh squad from players let go during that period with the only proviso being they are still active now. It’s fair to say the games would have been high-scoring!
Starting XI has been picked in a 3-4-3 formation.
1. JOSEF BURSIK
On loan from Stoke City April 2021-May 2021. A Posh hero despite making just six League One appearances at the back end of the 2020-21 promotion season. His penalty save at Charlton was as important as the award of the worst penalty decision ever seen at London Road a couple of weeks later. Photo: Joe Dent
2. CHRISTIAN BURGESS
33 Posh appearances (4 goals) between August 2014 and June 2015 when sold to Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee. There were few tears shed when this stylish centre-back was dumped from the first-team as soon as Dave Robertson took over from Darren Ferguson as first-team manager, or when he dropped down a division to join Portsmouth that summer. But he became a firm fans' favourite at Pompey in League One as well as League Two and his reputation was enhanced further in two seasons in Belgian football as he helped Union St Gilloise to win the country's A Division and qualify for the European Champions League for the first time. Photo: Joe Dent
3. BEN WHITE
Played 16 games (1 goal) on loan from Brighton between January and May 2019. Steve Evans brought this classy defender to London Road just three weeks before he left the club. He was part of a Posh team that missed out on the League One play-offs on the final day of the season. His progress had been rapid since as White helped Leeds United win promotion from the Championship the following season and then helped Brighton establish themselves in the Premier League and earning himself a £50million move to Arsenal in the process. He's also won his first England senior international caps. Photo: Joe Dent
4. ANDREW HUGHES
Sold to Preston North End for an undisclosed fee after 102 Posh appearances (4 goals) between July 2016 and July 2018. It was a shock to many that this determined defender beat the likes of Marcus Maddison into the Championship, but he's become an established second tier defender at Preston making close to 150 appearances for his current club. Photo: Joe Dent