Richard Dryden expects City to move to Blue Square South (Getty)

Worcester City boss Richard Dryden has explained why defenders Chris Smith and Ryan Clarke have been allowed to leave.

Dryden expects City to be in Blue Square South next term as the relegated Premier teams are from the north.

"They live up north a bit and when we're playing down south it would be a lot of travelling for them," Dryden told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"If we can move them on then we can start again and get more people in who are on a radius of 30 to 40 miles."

Skipper Smith, a big target for Telford United in January, and midfielder Clarke will now be offered to other clubs along with defender Rapinder Gill.

City, who announced their retained list earlier this week, have also offered contracts to strikers Mark Danks and Craig Wilding.