Despite the remainder of Shelbourne's squad being cleared by an FAI appeals tribunal yesterday to cancel their contracts and leave the club, Ollie Byrne expressed the hope last night that the worst of the turbulence may now be behind the league champions.

In the wake of the decision by Ercus Stewart SC to declare Owen Heary, Colin Hawkins and Greg O'Halloran their freedom to leave Tolka Park, the club's chief executive described it as "another sad day in the recent history of Shelbourne but we'll bounce back from it.

"Going is their legal right and their prerogative. I'm grateful to them for what they did while they were here and wish them well for the future but I'm delighted that some other players have decided not to leave and hopefully they will now form the basis of the squad that carries Shelbourne football club forward again."

Heary acknowledged yesterday he is almost certain to sign for Bohemians with the highly-rated defender, who has a young family, preferring to stay in Dublin rather than take up offers from clubs outside the capital. "At this stage, though, I think Bohemians is the best option for me."

Hawkins, meanwhile, is weighing up his options with Derry City and Dunfermline, both reported to be interested in the centre back while Glen Crowe is now also set to exercise his right to leave Shelbourne in order to return to Dalymount Park.

O'Halloran, however, currently looks more likely to renegotiate his contract with Shelbourne while a number of other players, including both of the goalkeepers released by Pat Fenlon at the end of last season, Dean Delaney and Steve Williams, coming back.

"Having talked to Ollie over the last week or two there seems to be a sense that some of the problems are getting sorted out," said another of last year's championship winning squad, Jamie Harris, yesterday. "And if that happens then I think you'd see a lot of the other players committing themselves to staying on."

Harris himself has agreed to remain at the club and Byrne's hope is that the likes of Dave Rogers, Richie Baker and Jim Crawford might stick around too although getting a manager in place would undoubtedly make the task of reassuring them about the future a good deal easier.

"We'd definitely all like to see something happen on that front within days or maybe a week," said Harris.

As luck would have it former Everton midfielder, Andy King, was at Tolka yesterday in order to have talks with Byrne about the vacancy. The 50-year-old has had spells in management with Mansfield Town, Swindon Town and Grays Athletic since retiring as a player almost 20 years ago and said yesterday that he would see managing a club in the Champions League as "a great opportunity".

Byrne, however, insists King has not been offered the post at this stage. "He comes with a very good pedigree; all of my friends in England say very good things about him and he's interested in the job but none of that means he has got it," he said.