Defender confirms departure from the club following the conclusion of the 2013/14 campaign
Club captain Zat Knight will depart Bolton Wanderers this summer following a five year affiliation with the Whites.
Having joined Wanderers back in July 2009 from Aston Villa, the ex-England international ends his time with the club having made 191 appearances and scoring four goals.
Speaking following the confirmation of his departure, the 34-year-old admitted that the decision to move onto pastures new was far from a simple one.
“I’m sad to be leaving Bolton, but it’s been a great five years here and a big learning curve for me,” he said.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs during my time here, but it now feels like the right time for me to make a fresh start elsewhere and have a new goal.
“Naturally I was massively disappointed when we were relegated and I was determined to stick around to try and help the team get back to where I feel we deserve to be, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
“I don’t like leaving with things having not gone the way that I wanted in terms of us getting back into the Premier League, but I just feel as though I now need to move on.
“I’m not rushing into finding another club, but when I do it has to be the right move for myself and my family.”
He continued: “I hope that the team can push on next season and stake a claim for promotion – the club as a whole deserve to be up there.
“Every player that has come here has commented on how fantastic it is – from the facilities and the stadium to the staff and the fans, it’s second to none and purely based on that, I really hope that they can have a great season next year.
“In hindsight, the five years I’ve been here have absolutely flown by and I’ll leave with plenty of good memories and obviously some not so good ones, but I don’t regret anything – that is life at the end of the day.
“I’ve enjoyed my career so far and Bolton Wanderers have played a massive part in that. I’d like to thank everyone at the club for their support during my time here and wish them the very best for the future.”