NEWPORT County AFC legend Padraig Amond has thanked former boss Michael Flynn for believing in him and revealed his hurt at the way his time at Rodney Parade was ended with a brief phone call.

The 34-year-old striker spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Exeter City, helping the Grecians to League Two promotion.

Amond's contract expires this summer and he has confirmed his exit ahead of County's official retained and released list.

READ MORE: Who is staying and who is going - the full list

"Thank you to all the Newport County supporters for their support and respect since I signed for the club in August 2017," he posted on social media.

"I loved my four years at the club. Thanks to all my teammates during that time, too.

"Without them we wouldn't have had the amazing journeys that we went on.

"Finally, thank you to the gaffer Michael Flynn and Wayne Hatswell for signing me and believing in me."

South Wales Argus: LEGEND: County striker Padraig AmondLEGEND: County striker Padraig Amond

Amond signed from Hartlepool and made 206 appearances for County and scored 59 goals.

He finished as the club's top scorer in ever campaign he played and scored against Leicester, Middlesbrough and Manchester City in the FA Cup run of 2019 a year after his goal had come agonisingly close to knocking out Tottenham Hotspur at Rodney Parade.

His exploits earned a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad in March, 2019.

Amond started in last year's play-off final defeat to Morecambe but was moved on by County ahead of this season and moved to Exeter.

“A week before the start of the season I was told from a number of places that I wasn’t wanted at Newport,” said the striker, in an interview with the Argus a fortnight ago.

“I didn’t know where I would end up, I am just so pleased that it was Exeter.

“At the time things felt very raw about how it happened. I was disappointed, especially being told that late in pre-season, but that’s football and you have to get on with it.

“Maybe things happen for a reason and I was meant to go to Exeter. I am delighted it has panned out this way and things have worked out well for me in the end – I’ve got a promotion after all those years of heartache.”

Flynn was in charge when Amond was told to find a new club but it was current boss James Rowberry that confirmed his exit, with the striker telling a League of Ireland podcast that the manner of the release hurt.

“It’s a cut-throat industry. I signed five seasons ago (for Newport), I played over 200 games for them, scored 60 odd goals and I got released in a 25-second phone call. And 10 to 12 seconds of that was the manager introducing himself to me because of a change of number," he said on LOI Central.

“I live three or four minutes’ away from the (County) training ground. I was down in Exeter for the promotion parade, with my mam, dad, my wife and son and I was walking to go and meet the bus.

“The phone call happened so quickly they didn’t even know I was on the phone. It doesn’t surprise me. I know what football is like.

“It does hurt. You can have such an affiliation and spend such a time at a club but it works both ways. You hear players get criticised for showing no loyalty but it works both ways with everyone.”