I didn’t want to leave Derry City - insists Jamie McDonagh

The 24-year-old, who fell down the pecking order since City returned to training and wasn’t in their squad for their recent friendly at Dundalk, is adamant that he hasn’t fallen out with anyone and the decision for him to leave was purely down to manager Declan Devine.

Free agent McDonagh has accepted the decision and now just wants to move on with his career.

“I’m shocked but more disappointed than anything, because I didn’t want to leave the club and I was very committed to the club,” he insisted.

“I was settled, happy and this was my third year with the club and ideally I wanted to stay there, especially after the year we had last season.

“I think I played 30 games and missed out on 10 games at the start, but when I returned I also had 11 assists and four goals and all the hard work from last year and getting into Europe it would have been nice to play in Europe this year, especially after all the effort everyone put in last year.

“Look I know the manager’s the boss and he makes the decisions and if he thinks something isn’t right then he has to take control of that and that’s what he has done.

“From the outside looking in, many people and fans will be wondering what’s going on but from my point of view there was no fall out and I didn’t feel that I was in a bad place in any way, I just felt I was fully focused on Derry and getting back to playing football because that’s my job and that’s what I wanted to do. So from my side of things, there was no major fall out or anything like.”

The Lisburn man is believed to be close to completing a move to either Glentoran or Linfield in the coming weeks.

“Look things happen for a reason and I just have to move on,” he added.

“I remember years ago when I played in Scotland people said that ‘no player is bigger than any football club’ and I didn’t get it at the time, but now it makes sense because in a way no matter how big or how good you think you are at a football club, the club will live on forever, players come and go and that’s just the way football works and that’s the situation I’m in now.

“I have been at Derry for three seasons and I feel I have done quite well, but sadly I have left the club.”

McDonagh has also praised the Brandywell faithful, who he states have made him very welcome from the day and hour he joined the club from Sligo Rovers.

“In some people eyes I will be one of the better players, other people’s eyes I’ll not be, but that’s the way football works, one thing I want to make clear is since the day and the minute I walked in through the door and while personally I didn’t hit the ground running, but once I got to play games the fans were brilliant and I felt like I was at home when I was playing for Derry,” he explained.

“I respect the city, the club and the fans more importantly because they drive you through games and give you that support that you need and I’m thankful that I got that support and for that I want to take the time to thank the fans for everything.

“The fans were brilliant to us during my time there from being in finals to winning finals and playing in some very big games, I’m grateful for that, I’m thankful for their support and I haven’t a bad word to say about any of the supporters, the club and it’s a great city to live in and I loved every minute of my time at Derry.

“I want to make sure that the fans know that I was thankful and grateful to play for Derry City.

“I understand the way it has ended because of whatever has gone on, but I just know from my side I didn’t want to leave the club, but I understand that managers all over the world at every football club make a decision.

“They have to be cut-throat and brutal at times, but it’s their team and they have to do what is best for the team to win games ideally and if something isn’t right then they have to make it right and the manager obviously feels that this is the best decision for me to leave the club.

“But as I said, things happen for a reason. I’ll move on and the club will move on and I’m sure it will be forgotten about in a couple of weeks."

A spokesperson for the club said: “We would like to thank Jamie for his service to Derry City FC and wish him every success in his future career.”