Gary Waddock says he feels no bitterness towards Oxford United as he prepares to face the club for the first time since being sacked last summer.

The 52-year-old, now assistant manager at Portsmouth, spent just 105 days as head coach with the U’s.

Appointed by then chairman Ian Lenagan after a lengthy search to replace Chris Wilder last March, he lost seven of eight games in charge.

And when the club was taken over by Darryl Eales in July, one of new chief executive Mark Ashton’s first tasks was to remove Waddock and bring in Michael Appleton.

Speaking for the first time about the turbulent stint, Waddock admits it was disappointing, but does not bear grudges.

“I’m not the type of person to be bitter,” he said.

“I was disappointed, that’s for sure, but you can’t dwell on things all the time.

“If I kept looking back on it you’d never move on, so it was a case of dusting yourself down and hoping you get another opportunity to come back in and show what you’re worth.

“That’s what I’ve done.”

The former QPR and Republic of Ireland midfielder quickly went to help out Martin Allen at Barnet, before being offered the chance to serve as Andy Awford’s deputy at Pompey.

While many details of the takeover were known before the official announcement, the decision to change head coach had been kept firmly under wraps.

The announcement took everyone by surprise, including Waddock, who had no warning.

“None whatsoever, until the rumours started,” he said. “But takeovers happen at every club.

“The new owners came in and wanted their own man, which is fair enough and I understand that.

“I’ve got no problem with that at all and unfortunately I was the victim of that, but it’s by the by now.”

The former Wycombe and Aldershot boss left the coaching set-up at MK Dons when he was approached by United to make a return to frontline management.

The landscape at Oxford quickly changed to prevent any chance of fulfilling his ambitions, but Waddock has no regrets.

He said: “When I was offered the position, Ian Lenagan had a plan for the club and I was looking forward to that.

“In the period I worked with him, I liked his ideas, but there was an opportunity for him to sell to other people.

“It happens, not just in football but in other businesses.

“I have the utmost respect for everybody I met at the club, but unfortunately it didn’t go as we planned.”