Regarding the size of the release clause Dan, I think we need to remember the circumstances under which we signed Bennett. A few weeks before he signed for us, he was due to go to Sheffield Wednesday until Villa pulled the plug on the deal because they didn't want one of their players to go to a "promotion rival", so the inference is clearly that it was okay for him to come here because we weren't considered a threat to Villa (who we finished above in the table
).
So, I think it's reasonable to assume that Bennett came here with the view that we were something of a stepping stone on his way to better things and he and his agent would have made a low release clause a pre condition of him coming here so that it would be easier for him to move on to those better things.
If Bennett really does want to stay here now in the face of interest from a side that many are tipping for promotion this season, then that's a terrific testimony to how much we moved on in the last year and, as you say, it would be great to see that contract renegotiated.