Ismail Yakubu, who has made 279 appearances for Barnet since former manager Peter Shreeves blooded him as a 17-year-old studying for his A-levels, has been released by the club.

The 25-year-old central defender missed the last 20 games of last season after going off earIy against Torquay United on January 26 with a back injury. He was ever-present for the first half of the season.

In anticipation of Yakubu reaching the 300-game landmark for the Bees, Barnet FC Supporters Association bought a presentation trophy to mark the occasion ... but he stuck on 297.

Yakubu, who has been at Underhill since he was 11 and signed his first professional contract at the age of 16, was team captain from August 2007 until November 2008. He scored 20 goals in his 296 games for the Bees, 15 of them as a substitute. He played six times for Paul Fairclough's England C side.

Note: Barnet's full retained list will be announced when a new manager is appointed. Yakubu is mentioned today as he has been publicly linked to other clubs.