FORMER Colchester United striker Kurtis Guthrie has been released by relegated Scottish Premiership side Livingston FC.

The 31-year-old is one of a number of out of contract players who have been told they will not be offered new deals at the West Lothian side, who will play their football in Scottish football's second tier next season after their six-year stay in the top flight came to an end.

Ex-Colchester defender Miles Welch-Hayes is still under contract at Livingston but has been made available for transfer.

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However, former U's goalkeeper Shamal George is under contract and remains atย 

Guthrie had an eventful two-year spell at Colchester,ย after joining them in the summer of 2016.

He netted 12 times in his first season for the Uโ€™s following his move from Forest Green Rovers but the striker experienced a frustrating second campaign, in North Essex.

Guthrie briefly returned from a seven-month ankle injury lay-off for Colchester, only to be ruled out for a further three months, soon after.

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And despite scoring on his comeback game against Cheltenham Town in January 2018, he nevertheless found himself in and out of John McGrealโ€™s starting line-up.

He left Colchester in April, 2018 and eventually joined Stevenage and has since also played for the likes of Port Vale and Bradford City, in addition to having a spell in India.

In total, Guthrie made 52 league and cup appearances during his two-year stay at Livingston, scoring twice.

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Welch-Hayes spent the second half of this season on loan at Scottish Championship side, Dunfermline Athletic.

The 27-year-old former U's defender played 11 times for the club.

Welch-Hayes made 58 appearances in total for Colchester after joining them in February 2020, following his departure from Macclesfield Town.

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He signed for the U's just days before that season was curtailed by the Covid pandemic.

Welch-Hayes ended up making his U's debut as an extra-time substitute in their play-off semi-final second leg defeat at Exeter City.

The right-back's most productive season for appearances came in the 2020-21 campaign, when he played 42 times and helped keep Colchester in League Two.

Welch-Hayes has also had a spell at Harrogate Town, since leaving the U's.