Boss Martin Allen says the players nearing the end of their Cheltenham Town contracts can still persuade him they are worthy of extensions.

In addition to goalkeeper Shane Higgs, who is on loan at Coca-Cola Championship leaders Wolves for the rest of the season and is highly unlikely to return to Whaddon Road, nine others are out of contract this summer.

Joint leading scorer Lloyd Owusu needs to make 25 starts this term to guarantee himself the offer of another year.

He had made 16 going into today's match at Scunthorpe United.

Meanwhile, Alan Wright, Shane Duff, Gavin Caines, Paul Connor, Damian Spencer, Ashley Vincent, Andy Lindegaard and Aaron Ledgister all need to convince Allen they are worthy of new deals.

"There is still a chance for them to earn new contracts and decisions have not been made on some of them," Allen said.

"Some have had to go on the transfer list so I can try and raise funds in positions where I needed to strengthen.

"But that was explained to them in full detail and none of them have been blackballed. The attitude of nearly all of them has been spot on."

Allen said free agents searching for clubs will find it hard this summer as the economic downturn takes its toll.

"There are a lot out of contract, but they have a lot to play for," he said.

"It is going to be particularly difficult to find another club because most clubs will be trimming their squads drastically."

Allen currently has 11 senior players contracted to the summer of 2010, plus scholars Marley Watkins and Jack Durrant who will turn professional in July.

He plans to operate with a first-team squad of 18 players next term, meaning that there could be only five permanent places up for grabs – four if Owusu makes nine more starts before the season's end.

Ledgister has turned down the offer of a settlement of his contract but has no future at the club.

The rest have 19 games and three months to force their way into Allen's vision for the future.

Josh Low, Michael Townsend, Caines and Connor are officially on the transfer list along with Lindegaard, who has been loaned out to League Two Aldershot, but they have been told the door is not closed for any of them.

Cheltenham have a fully-fit squad to face third-placed Scunthorpe this afternoon, with Spencer set to start up front after scoring a hat-trick in the 5-3 defeat by MK Dons last week.

Defender Drissa Diallo is also expected to return to the starting line-up having recovered from a medial knee ligament injury that has kept him out for seven weeks.

With freezing temperatures forecast, a Glanford Park pitch inspection was planned for 9am on Saturday, if needed, to avoid Cheltenham's players and supporters having a wasted trip north.

Cheltenham (from): Brown, Bird, Gallinagh, Diallo, Duff, Westwood, Ridley, Westlake, Russell, Finnigan, Montrose, Low, Owusu, Spencer, Vincent, Hammond, Puddy, Bignall.