Andy Duncan has spoken about being released by Cambridge United.
As announced this morning, the U's skipper, who joined the club from Manchester United nine years ago, was one of six players told they would not be retained by manager Jimmy Quinn for next season.
"My initial reaction is huge disappointment," he admitted. "I knew it was going to come one day but it still doesn't make it any easier. I'd hoped to stay another year and I was never going to walk out on the club - I'd have to be pushed out the door.
"I've had chances to leave the club in the past and made no secret that my intention was to stay with the club, so it's not easy. But now I've got to look to the future and be positive about it and look beyond Cambridge United, which at this early stage is obviously difficult."
Duncan has spent nine years at the Abbey - playing for seven managers, experiencing one promotion, two relegations and a LDV Vans Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium, and he added, "It's still sinking in but my feeling at the moment is just disappointment because I've met a lot of good people in my time at the club and had some good times and memories.
"There have been tough times to cope with too, but I've made some very dear friends in my time here and people like supporters and sponsors have been good to me, and I'd like to thank them for everything that they've done for me.
"Jimmy told me it was purely for football reasons and he's the manager and he's employed by the football club to make those decisions, so I respect that. We shook hands and I wished him the best of luck. It felt cruel to have spent so much time at the club and for it to be over in a matter of minutes, but we've got to move on."
He added, "Where that will be for me, I don't know, but now it's been announced I can actively get on with pursuing a career with another football club. I'm still only 29 and it's been a difficult season for me with injuries that haven't helped, so I never really felt that I got a good run in the team and got up to peak fitness. But that's football, injury is a part of the game, and we have to accept it and move on."
Closing with his appreciation for the club's supporters, Andy said, "The fans were absolutely superb during my time with United. We got promoted straightaway in my first season and on Saturday, when we had 6,000 fans there, it really brought back all the memories of the Roy McFarland era and the promotion season, so I think that was kind of a fitting end to my time.
"That was the sort of crowd we were playing in front of when I began and when we got promoted, and to see 6,000 turn out to ensure we got our safety in the Conference was a fitting end.
"The supporters and sponsors have been through thick and thin in the time I've been at the club and they've supported the club to the hilt and will continue to do so. I always thought I had a great relationship with them and the club will always have a place in my heart, but it's finally come to an end and we all have to look to the future."
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