BRADLEY Wood already has contract offers from Football League and Conference clubs – but will "never forget" the support of Grimsby Town's fans.
The former Youth team star said farewell to the Mariners last week when he was released at the end of his contract.
Wood, who racked up more than a century of first-team appearances after signing his first pro deal in 2009, admits it has been a real wrench to move on.
And he was keen to thank the Town supporters who have backed him through 'thick and thin'.
He said: "The Grimsby fans have been great to me since I've been at the club – even when I first started and went through my first couple of years as a professional, which is probably the hardest time.
"I'd like to thank them more than anything because they've supported me through thick and thin.
"If I've ever needed anything they've been there, even if I've needed work on my house or anything like that – they've helped me out just because they are Grimsby fans.
"That's something I really appreciate and will never, ever forget."
The world of football moves on quickly and the 21-year-old, who was Town's Young Player of the Year for the 2010/11 campaign, is already mulling over the best options for his young family.
"I had interest from a couple of teams last week and a couple of offers, but I've got my child and my missus to think about so I'm going to take it as it comes," he added.
"Obviously, it's my first time doing anything like this, and my agent has told me not to go straight for the first deal – they'll be better deals out there – but I need security for my family.
"One is a Conference club and one's a bit higher. The Conference level offer is a bit more money but I'm not really bothered about the money at the moment – I'm just bothered about getting back playing football."
The Leicester-born youngster was one of eight professionals released by Town last week as Rob Scott and Paul Hurst's plans for another campaign in the Conference kicked into action.
He said: "About half the squad have gone and I'm not sure what's going to happen from here on in, but that's the managers' choice.
"I wish them all the best because I've been at Grimsby Town so long and hope that the club does well in the future.
"I'd love them to get back into the Football League because that's where I started with them."
The full-back, who was brought to the club as a teenager by then Youth-team boss Neil Woods, continued: "I found out last Wednesday – everyone had a set meeting and the bosses told us if they were keeping us on or letting us go," he explained.
"I'd been speaking to my agent and he said 'you've been playing out of position for a while so don't be too disappointed if you don't get a deal. If you do get one we'll see what they offer you.'
"So I was half and half really and it hasn't come as a massive shock, but I just feel that maybe the loyalty I've shown hasn't paid off.
"I've been at the club for a long time but that's part and parcel of football.
"The gaffers explained that they only had so much money to do certain things. Obviously Sam (Hatton) and Aswad (Thomas) are still in contract and they said there wasn't enough money in the budget for me to be kept on.
"I've just got to move on and see if I can forge a career somewhere else.
"I will give 100 per cent for any team I play for – that's the type of character I am. That's half the battle of becoming a decent professional, and it's something I'll always have."
