RICARDO Vaz Te had become like Father Christmas at the Reebok; a mythical character that everyone had heard of but no one had ever seen.

Fans talked with fondness of a player who could bring back the glory days to Wanderers and dreamed this would be the year when the Portugese forward finally realised his undoubted potential and set the Premier League alight.

But, after three injury-plagued campaigns, even the most optimistic Bolton supporter had given up hope that Vaz Te would come good and, after just 59 appearances in seven seasons, it was no surprise last week when he was told he was free to leave when his current contract expires on June 30.

Many players would have departed with bitterness, robbed of their opportunity to shine by a succession of serious knee problems and managers who believed they weren’t up to the job, and fired a parting shot at their former employees.

But that’s not Vaz Te’s style. In fact, the eminently likeable 23-year-old believes Owen Coyle was right to release him.

“It’s fair,” he said. “It’s a good decision from the manager not to offer me a new deal. I’m glad in a way. The last three years have been very frustrating. I’ve never felt fit and then would break down.

“It would have been hard to say no to Bolton because I’ve had such a great time but I didn’t want to stay.

“People will look at it that I was let go but it was a mutual decision. I was never going to get my contract renewed and it was time to go. But it has been for some time.

“I need a fresh start. I need to go somewhere where I’m appreciated and given a chance.

“There’s been nothing positive in the last three years, just negative.”

After bursting on to the scene as a teenager, Vaz Te, signed by Sam Allardyce from Farense in August 2003, was primed to make a big impact on the opening day of the 2007 campaign.

Following a successful pre-season, Sammy Lee, then in charge, included him in his side ahead of El-Hadji Diouf to face Newcastle.

But, instead of being a new dawn for the Lisbon-born striker, it was to be the beginning of his injury nightmare after he damaged his cruciate ligaments in his left knee.

His comeback was hit by several setbacks, including a problem with his other knee, and he made just three substitute appearances under Gary Megson.

During that period he also spent time on loan at Hull City and was offered to Real Santander in the deal which brought Ebi Smolarek to Wanderers.

Vaz Te seemed destined to depart last summer after being heavily linked with a move to Turkish club Gaziantepspor but decided against it. Coyle’s arrival in January gave the player, who had been scoring goals in the reserves, a chance to impress, but his decision to turn down a loan move to Hamilton did him few favours and he was released last week.

He said: “I’ve had an amazing time but it’s been a tough couple of years. It’s been so frustrating but it’s been an honour and a pleasure to play for Bolton.

“I’ve never got to the level of fitness I wanted. I missed two pre-seasons and in the Premier League you need to be fit. I’ve just been playing catch-up.

“I wish the club all the best and hope Owen Coyle succeeds in bringing the club back to where it was when Sam Allardyce left.

“The fans deserve it because they have always been brilliant to me. They have always made me feel loved. If I was out people would always recognise me and say something. That’s my biggest regret; that they never saw me fully fit in the last three years. I feel sorry for them.

“But I need a fresh start and to forget about my injuries. It’s like a bad memory – I was scratching my brain out at times.”

The former Portugal Under-21 star, who has been contacted by several clubs and looks likely to return home, added: “I was part of the club’s history: the first time the club got into Europe and then reached the last 32.

“I played with some world-class footballers: Jay-Jay Okocha, Fernando Hierro, Ivan Campo, El-Hadji Diouf, the list goes on. To be in a dressing room with those players, and to be respected by them, was an honour and no one will ever take that away from me.

“It was a perfect time for me; I was 17, in good health and playing football. But now I must write a new history somewhere else.”

And Vaz Te has backed Coyle to bring back the success at Wanderers. He said: “The mentality Sam Allardyce instilled in the players played a huge part and, when he went, something was missing. It was like a part of the puzzle we just couldn’t solve.

“Sam Allardyce was a huge influence at Bolton; in the dressing room, on the pitch and in the stadium.

“No one has been able to replace that. Sammy Lee is the best coach I’ve ever worked with but he struggled because the club was going through a difficult time.

“It’s been hard to achieve since what Sam Allardyce achieved but, in Owen Coyle, they have the right man. Hopefully he will be given the time to build something.

“We used to give them all a game at the Reebok; United used to be shaking and Arsenal hated it, they could never get a result. The only team who did well was Chelsea.

“There’s no reason why Bolton can’t get back to those days. It’s a big club with good players and great fans. They shouldn’t be content with just staying up. They should remember what they experienced before.”