Roger Saddened To Leave

After 13 years constant service at the Vetch, Roger was clearly disappointed in the quick and clinical way in which his employment ended "My meeting with Kenny lasted for two minutes. He thanked me for what I had done and told me that there was no new deal for me on the table. I half expected it was coming but always hoped that maybe I could have been told before to give me a chance to say goodbye on Saturday.

"That is the thing that hurts me the most, the supporters have been magnificent to me over my time at the club and I never got the chance to end by showing that what that support meant to me.

"As I drove away from the Vetch today it was hard to believe that I would never be going back as a Swansea City player. This has been part of my life for so long, it had to end at some stage but I never imagined it this way.

"I don't bear grudges and Kenny has done what he felt he needed to do. I was disappointed that the press seemed to know of my release on the weekend even if I didn't. I wish Kenny and the club all the success in the future, it's a great club to have been part of and it deserves to be going places.

"As I said earlier I want to thank the supporters for their loyal and conditional support over my time at the club. It would have been nice to have taken that appearance record that I had half an eye on but my name is in those history books and maybe I set the standards that others will have to follow."

But what does the future hold for Roger Freestone? "Who knows, I woke up this morning a professional footballer and now I guess I am a statistic as an unemployed person. You don't know what is round the corner and what may happen next. This is all I have ever known so I guess we will have to wait and see"

It was clear from talking to Roger that you could see the disappointment in his face and a sense of disbelief that the last thirteen years of his life had been wiped out like that. I can accept the decision of the manager if that is what he believes, what I cannot accept is that Roger, of all people, deserved a little more respect in the timing of it all.

Whatever happens next for Roger, we will wait and see but it will be a strange Swansea City next season without him and this really is the end of an era.

Why not check out the latest Vetch Verdict on the BBC site?