PETERBOROUGH United owner Darragh MacAnthony believes Wanderers centre-back Ricardo Santos owes his club an apology.

The Posh chief was asked what he made of the defender’s recent progress at the UniBol, five years after he left London Road to sign for Barnet.

Speaking on his podcast, The Hard Truth, MacAnthony said he took exception to some of the comments made by Santos on social media when he left his club.

MacAnthony sold Santos for £100,000 after tipping him for big things - and is not surprised to see him starting to realise his potential at Bolton.

“We got Rico from Thurrock and paid eight grand for him and saw massive potential with his size and everything. He was very clumsy early on – but then a lot of young players are, they are accident-prone in regards to mistakes. You’d get a game where he’d look like Bobby Moore and then you would get a game where he looked like Reg Vardy,” he said.

“I think he’d be the first to say his attitude could have been better.

“Graham Westley loved him when he was our manager. We had the Portuguese FA write to us – and people would laugh about this – but they said they were interested in potentially calling him up for the Under-21s.

“We also had a couple of Portuguese clubs ask for him to go over there on trial. I was away at the time but I had seen the fax and everyone said I was lying.

“He went to Barnet and said a few ***** things about our club, so he’s not a fans favourite because of what he said. He has never apologised but he should.

“I am happy he is finally showing he has the ability and that his mindset is right and there is no doubt in my mind that he can play higher, he has the talent.

“So sky’s the limit. Maybe he has grown up? Maybe if he can apologise to Posh fans, as he owes them one, we can forget about what was said.

“But I played a part in getting him from Thurrock in the middle of nowhere and now he is at Bolton, a massive club, and he has got a chance.”