DEPARTING striker Steve Basham says he is sorry that he never got the chance to say goodbye to Oxford United's supporters.

'Bash' struck up a tremendous rapport with the U's fans, and is upset that he didn't have the opportunity to thank them before his departure.

Basham, the U's top scorer in 2003-4 and 2005-6, had a miserable time last season when he ruptured knee ligaments in the New Year's Day defeat at Exeter and never played for the club again.

He had begun the campaign well, scoring in ther 5-1 rout of Northwich Victoria and then netting three times in three games in a mid-September purple patch.

But he then struggled in front of goal, which led to him losing his place in the team.

However, the excellent technique and link-up play of the former Southampton and Preston forward made him one of the classiest players to have played for United in their Kassam Stadium era.

He was released, along with Chris Hargreaves, Gavin Johnson and Rufus Brevett, by manager Jim Smith soon after Oxford's season had been ended by their play-off semi-final exit at the hands of Exeter.

"I'd like to thank the Oxford fans," Basham said. "They have always been fantastic to me.

"I saw a report that the club had been involved in talks with me and money was a problem, but that certainly was not the case.

"I was not offered anything by the club, and had I been, I would almost certainly have accep- ted it because I've got a family, we live in the area and love it, and I wanted to be part of Oxford United now that it's being well run.

"But the manager decided he needed to look at bringing in other players and I have to accept that.

"It's just sad for me that I wasn't able to say a proper thank-you to the supporters. It's a major disappointment for me to leave."

He added: "When I left the field at Exeter, I never realised that would be the last time I would play for Oxford. But that's football.

"And I'm old enough and wise enough to know that when one door closes another door opens and I'll hopefully get a club this summer."

Having been at Oxford for five years, Basham was their longest-serving player and has seen massive changes since Nick Merry took over from former chairman Firoz Kassam.

"I would love to have stayed with Nick Merry and Ian Lenagan taking the club forward," he said.

"It was a major disappointment not to go up last season. Everything was in place, but I think everybody expected it to be easy.

"Even before Christmas, when we had gone on this great run and started the season so well, we still had never really shaken Dagenham off.

"There was then a lot of pressure on Oxford, with so much expectation on them to go up. That benefitted Dagenham, who didn't have that pressure.

"I suppose the pressure proved too much in the end for us.

"But the lads are still strong and everything is in place for them to have a really good go at getting promotion again next season."