Paul Wanless says he is gutted to be leaving Oxford United because he has not had the chance to say a proper goodbye to the fans.

The 31-year-old was told by new boss Brian Talbot at the end of last week that he wasn't being offered a new contract.

And the midfielder-turned-centre back admitted he was surprised, because just ten days earlier he had been told he would be handed a new deal.

But that was when Argentines Ramon Diaz and Horacio Rodriguez were still in charge.

Wanless said: "I'm not bitter or resentful, because that's football.

"I understand it's what happens when a new manager comes in . . . he wants to bring his own players in, and to do that he often needs to get rid of players and the easiest way is with the players who are out of contract.

"I just feel gutted because Oxford is my home-town club and the club I came back to in order to finish my career. It's a club I love - I've been supporting them since I was a boy and I still support them.

"It hurts a bit, too, when the manager says he wants players who really want to play for the club, because no-one wants to play for Oxford United more than me.

"But there's no animosity towards him. I do understand how football works and after I met with him, I shook his hand and said I sincerely hope Oxford win promotion next season. And I mean that."

The irony for Wanless is that he had been informed by Rodriguez and Firoz Kassam at the start of May that there would be a new deal on the table.

"Yes, I was told," he said. "I had a meeting ten days earlier with the chairman and was told I was going to be offered a new contract."

He added: "I'm disappointed I wasn't selected for more games, because I don't feel I had a bad year.

"I was gutted that Graham Rix dropped me and chose to go with other, younger players but that move backfired for him.

"I played well under Patto (Darren Patterson). We won at Chester and played well against Swansea, but then I was left out when the Argentines came in.

"But then they found out that I could do a job at centre half and I think I showed I could.

"Maurice Evans always told me I'd finish my career at centre half and I know I've got three years left in me in that position.

"I would finish games comfortably, thinking I hadn't even played.

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