Rob Quinn admits he never played to his full potential at Oxford United, and is now hoping that a break from the game can revitalise his career.

The 25-year-old midfielder became the first victim of United's clear-out when he and Richard Knight had their contracts with the club terminated last week.

And reflecting on his time at Oxford, Quinn, currently on holiday in Tunisia, revealed the lack of first-team opportunities prompted him to accept United's offer of ending his contract, even though he still had a year to go.

"Everything's been sorted out now and I'm very disappointed that things didn't work out for me at Oxford," he said.

"I never fulfilled what I know I can do. I know how well I can play, but I didn't feel I ever did that at Oxford.

"I never quite settled as well as I could have done for one reason or another, and that was a big problem as well."

Quinn made just 23 starts for United after signing for £75,000 from Brentford in January 2001, but could not make himself a permanent fixture in the first team. With United slashing their wage bill, Quinn and Knight, two big-earners, were among the first to have their futures discussed.

"It was put to us by the chairman that the wage bill had to be cut and a few people would have to go to trim it," Quinn added.

"I was asked if I would take a figure to go, and I decided that in the long run, if I'm not going to figure, then it's better if I go.

"To be fair to Ian (Atkins), he has been great and told me that he likes me as a player, but there are others ahead of me and he needs to bring in new faces, so it looked like I could go further down the pecking order.

"I think, in truth, I frustrated him, because he knows I can do a lot better than I did with him in charge."

Quinn believes the club now needs an influx of players if they are to become successful again.

On a personal note, the former Brentford and Crystal Palace player admits he was disappointed with the way he was treated by former boss Mark Wright, and believes if the club had brought in an experienced manager last summer, things could have been different. "That's nothing against Mark," he said. "It's just we needed someone with experience at the start of the season and we didn't have that.

"From day one, Mark told me that I didn't figure in his plans and he didn't give me a chance. Then Ian came in, but I didn't do as well as I could have done for him."

Martin Thomas, signed by former boss Mark Wright and made club captain, became the latest player to leave Oxford United today when he accepted an offer by the club to terminate his contract.