Numerous Irish players are currently surplus to requirements at their English clubs and are just waiting for other teams to come and relight their fortunes.

Some are coming to the end of their careers but some are only starting.

The latest Irishman to be transfer-listed is Crystal Palace's Steve Hunt. The 19-year-old from Laois was put on the transfer list last week, which must have come as a shock to him.

Hunt has just broken into the Irish u21 team and his career seemed to be on the up at long last - but now he is in the awkward position of knowing that he is not wanted by his club yet having to stay there until somebody decides to make a bid for him.

Hunt should look to Brentford who, under Ron Noades, have eight or nine former Crystal Palace players, including four Irishmen.

Noades, who once owned Crystal Palace, always keeps an eye on players at his old club and, who knows?, Hunt could join former Palace players Boxall, Kennedy, Quinn and Folan at Brentford.

Veterans Steve Staunton, Alan McLoughlin and Owen Coyle are also looking for clubs. Staunton should have no problem getting a move from Liverpool but the future is less certain for McLoughlin and Coyle.

McLoughlin still features for Wigan even though he is on the transfer list since the start of September. The 33-year-old could have to drop further down the leagues if he is going to get first-team football.

Owen Coyle is also surplus to requirements at Dunfermline but as one of the highest paid players at the club he will pick his moment to move.

Coyle is a proven goalscorer at all levels and would be a huge signing for a struggling team.

There was talk about him joining either Carlisle in the English Third Division or Livingston in the Scottish First Division, but his wages seemed to turn both deals sour.

Of the young players on the transfer list the most interesting is Alan Moore of Middlesbrough. There is no doubting the class of Moore but the player's problem is that he seems to be always injured.

Moore has been on the list since late last year but as yet no team has taken the bait and given him a chance to prove himself. When fit, there is no better winger in the game.

Striker Barry Conlon has also surprisingly been put on the transer list. Conlon, who played for Ireland at u21 level, is struggling to hold down a place in York City's team even though the club are struggling at the bottom of Division Three.

The 22-year-old striker has dropped down the leagues like the proverbial stone. He started with QPR and then moved to Manchester City before dropping to Southend and then York. Where is there left for him to go?

Others who are unwanted by their clubs are Neale Fenn of Tottenham, Dave Billington of Sheffield Wednesday and David Freeman of Nottingham Forest.

Fenn tried to manufacture himself a move to Holland during the summer but it fell through. Since then he has only been playing a bit part with Tottenham's reserve team and needs something to happen soon in his career.

Davids Billington and Freeman both looked to be on the move last month.

Billington went back to his former club Peterborough and looked certain to sign for them, but an injury put paid to that and he returned to Hillsborough.

Freeman got an even better chance with struggling Port Vale but after a month's loan at the club he was returned to Forest after he failed to impress.