BURNLEY captain Neil Moore admitted the news of Chris Waddle's departure had come as a major shock.

Moore was with seven other players told of the news by reserve team boss Gordon Cowans as they flew back into the country following an end-of-season break in Spain yesterday afternoon.

"It's a shock more than anything," said Moore who was made skipper and given a two-year contract by Waddle earlier this season.

"To have such a good trip and then come back to find out what's happened has left me gobsmacked.

"It's very sad but obviously he has got his reasons. It's very disappointing and just at a bit of a weird time.

"For people who are out of contract I would hate to be in their position."

Moore said that the players had been given no indication that Waddle was even thinking over his future and was looking forward to a brighter future after escaping relegation on the last day of the season.

He added: "We have got the nucleus of a good squad. He wants to bring players in during the summer to strengthen and we were looking forward to having a better season.

"Now with this there will be a new manager who might bring in new players which means more disruption.

"With a new fellow coming in you have to see if he likes you as a player and it's all up in the air. We will just have to keep on looking at the papers to see what happens."

Cowans, who was informed of Waddle's decision in Marbella on Monday night, said: "It was a surprise after finishing the way we did. "We got on very well and I am disappointed. We had turned the corner and the form we finished the season with was play-off form.

"I am sure he will pop up somewhere else."

Cowans said he would be seeking talks with the chairman to clarify his own position.

Cowans added: "There are a lot of players out of contract so we will have to see what happens."

Damian Matthew is one of eight senior players with a new contract offer on the table and whose own future at the club is back in the air.

Matthew had been hoping to hold further talks with Waddle later this week with a view to agreeing a new two-year deal.

"I had been hoping to get things sorted out in the next two or three weeks and then you can enjoy your summer break and look forward to the season. Now it's going to drag on," he said.

Matthew had been out of Waddle's plans before being restored to the side after rejecting a move to Northampton and he felt that the manager had grown into the job. He said: "In the last game of the season I think he showed his true colours. He had a lot of passion and was very complimentary to the players.

"Chris was inexperienced and he does remind me a little bit of Glenn Hoddle, who I played under at Chelsea.

"It was not a case of him being arrogant although he was quite aloof at first.

"As things settled down it was a case of him guaging how he would be with the players.

"He was very stand offish at first but as the season went on things got better.

"He might have disappointed the fans and the media sometimes but that was only to be expected. And I think if he had gone on and done well next season that would have been forgotten.

"Having that 19,000 was phenomenal and it just shows what Burnley is capable of."

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