Neil Clark, Aaron Conway and Glen Larsen will also leave Dens Park as part of the cull which follows the team’s drop into the Bell’s First Division.

The Tayside club were placed in administration in November 2003, with 15 players and five staff sacked at the club, before emerging from the financial constraints on the eve of this season.

And, after dropping out of the SPL, the club have been forced into further cutbacks.

All staff have been asked to take pay cuts at Dens Park in the wake of relegation, which was confirmed with the 1-1 draw at Livingston on Saturday.

Dundee manager Jim Duffy will also be forced to axe some of his backroom staff but will not release any names until he has informed the individuals concerned.

Duffy said: “You go through a range of emotions at a time like this.

“On Saturday, it was a terrible feeling realising we were going down.

“Now it is one of sadness and the realisation that there are going to be people you can’t keep when you would like to.

“The guys who were out of contract including Brent Sancho, Neil Barrett and Fabian Caballero, have been told there is no way we can afford to offer them anything so they have left the club.

“I have still got to speak to some of the younger players and, of course, we have a few players on SPL contracts which will be too ‘rich’ for the First Division.

“I can’t honestly say what is going to happen with them at the moment. We will have to wait and see when the picture gets a bit clearer.

“It doesn’t just depend on what our finances are, it is going to be down to the players as well.

“It is a terrible thing and we won’t be smiling for a while.

“Even as far ahead as the fixture list coming out for next season won’t be nice, because then it really will hit home that all the big games you look forward to are missing.

“Right now, though, it is important we let the dust settle, look at things properly and take things from there.”