LATEST NEWS: Evans fears Forrester could come back to haunt him

Chris Forrester during a man-of-the-match performance for Posh against Chelsea in an FA Cup tie at Stamford Bridge in January, 2017.

b As expected Evans carried out his cull of an under-achieving squad 24 hours after the final day defeat at Portsmouth (May 5).

Evans placed 13 players on the transfer list, released out-of-contract midfielder Callum Chettle and made five young players available for loan.

His transfer-listed group included two permanent Posh skippers in Forrester and Jack Baldwin, experienced players Steven Taylor and Anthony Grant, as well as regular first-team squad members Michael Doughty, Junior Morias and Jermaine Anderson.

Posh centre-back Steven Taylor could yet play again for Posh.

Grant McCann’s first signing last summer Ricky Miller, Alex Penny, Brad Inman (who spent last season on loan at Rochdale), Adil Nabi and youngsters Andrea Borg and Morgan Penfold have also been made available for transfer.

Idris Kanu, goalkeeper Josh Tibbetts, Mathew Stevens, Lewis Freestone and Sam Cartwright will be allowed to spend next season on loan away from the ABAX Stadium.

Evans explained his decision-making to the Peterborough Telegraph after pledging to build a promotion-winning squad around the 11 players he has kept. Of those striker Jack Marriott and winger Marcus Maddison are expected to be sold anyway.

“I’m satisfied I’ve made the right decisions for Posh,” Evans insisted. “Next season I want a squad with the ability and the attitude to get this club back where it belongs in the Championship. We haven’t had that for the past five seasons.

Antony Grant is set to leave Posh this summer.

“I’ve managed teams for over 900 times in my career and I cannot think of one player who has gone on to haunt me after I’ve let him go.

“I’ve sold players who have gone on to do well at higher levels, but I’ve never regretted putting anyone on the transfer list.

“Chris Forrester could be the first. I had to think long and hard before making him available, but I feel it’s the right decision for both parties.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he rediscovered his best form, but I will be in a hurry next season. I can’t afford to wait for anyone.

“Of course just because the players are on a transfer list there is no guarantee they will leave. They should, and I’m confident they will once Barry Fry works his magic, because they have no future under me in the current circumstances.

“The one player who might convince me otherwise is Steven Taylor. He has behaved impeccably since I turned up.

“He is a great character and a great influence in the dressing room. If he’s still here at the start of next season then I’d use him if I had to.

“The issue with Steven and with Anthony Grant is the fact the club has a policy of transfer listing players entering the last year of their contract, if they are unlikely to sign a new one and Steven wants more security than we are prepared to offer someone of his age.”