I only have diesel engined cars but a quiick look at Rimmers site drawings seems to show that the clutch arrangement is very simila. The pressure plate springs should push the pedle back up when you take your foot off and the spring on the pedle should take it the last little bit of the way so that there ois no load on the slave cylinder.
I have never heard of the clutch pressure plate "star" spring "arms" flatttening over time; even those over 10 years old seem to be resilient.
I think there is a misunderstanding somewhere; the clutch bits are not in the gearbox but between engine and gearbox.
Cheap try is to top up the clutch hydraulic fluid; bit of a fiddle to get to the reservoir over the top of the clutch pedle but possible; there ae lots of help threads on this site that will show how its done. If you have lost clutch hydraulic oil there is probably a leak somewhere. As you have replaced the master cylinder its probably the slave cylinder in the bell housing unless ther's a leak on the master cylinder to hydraulic pipe or the push fit connection in the engine bay or perhapsthe bleed valve leaking?? Worth a chack for the simple thinsg 1st. Changing out the clutch plates and slave cylinder is a bit of a game without a hoist but not impossible; just jack the front of the car up and put blocks under the front jacking points.Someone did do a detailed description of how to change the clutch parts without removin the gearbox from the car though it does have to be unbolted from the engine andtwisted around; gives a little room to undo the clutch bolts but can be done ( says he with having done is 3 or 4 times. Warm/dry weather helps so we are approaching a season fpr clutch changes.
Good luck
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