SAM BONE HIT out at Waterford Football Club while confirming his departure from the League of Ireland Premier Division side.
Bone, who joined the Blues – initially on loan – from Shamrock Rovers in June 2019, is now looking forward to continuing his career elsewhere.
The versatile 22-year-old defender said he felt “let down” by Waterford’s top brass in a statement posted on social media.
Although he didn’t go into detail on the reasons for his disgruntlement, Bone made it clear that he was unhappy.
He wrote: “While I have to stay professional, I am leaving the club with an incredibly sour taste in my mouth.
“I am extremely sad to be leaving. It was no secret how much I loved playing for this club, but sometimes you have to put your emotions aside and do what’s best for you.
“A part of me wants to say a lot but I’ll keep it short. I feel incredibly let down by the club and the last week or so has been extremely stressful.
“However, I do not regret a single moment during my stay. I have met some unbelievable people and the support I have received has been incredible.
“It was an absolute pleasure to play for Waterford. It’s the happiest I have been during my career and in an ideal world we would have kept the squad and built on it for next year.
“Four weeks since the end of the season, there isn’t even a manager or any players.”
To the fans of Waterford FC. Thankyou for everything. 💙 pic.twitter.com/9eV0tY4ZbS
— Samuel Bone (@SamuelBone) December 3, 2020
Despite experiencing a season of upheaval, during which first-team affairs were overseen by three different managers, Waterford finished fifth and narrowly missed out on European qualification.
John Sheridan, who succeeded Alan Reynolds, was in charge for eight games before departing to take over at Wigan Athletic. Fran Rockett was named manager until the end of the season, with Waterford finishing just a point behind fourth-placed Sligo Rovers.
Bone made nine appearances in 2020, the most recent of which came in the 2-1 defeat to Sligo in August, before his campaign was ended by a hamstring injury.
He added: “Although disappointed and sad to be leaving this club, I am extremely excited for my next move and to see what the future holds on a personal stand-point.”
A request for an official comment from Waterford FC on Sam Bone’s statement has not received a response.
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