Luc Bollan has no complaints about his release by Aberdeen and hopes he can kick-start his football career at part-time level.
The 20-year-old defender was released by the Dons last month having spent a year in the reserve squad.
Bollan, the son of former Dundee United, Rangers and Johnstone defender and current Cowdenbeath manager Gary, felt his time with the Reds was a good learning experience.
But he accepts he now needs to play first-team football on a regular basis.
Bollan said: “Obviously it was disappointing to be released, but I understand the situation.
“The club are in position where I’m 20 and if I’m not going to be playing football at Aberdeen then I need to go out somewhere and play first-team football.
“So if I’m not good enough to get that football at Aberdeen then it benefits them and me to go and get first-team football.
“I want to go and play first-team football somewhere now, but I only have good things to say about Aberdeen, I learned a lot there.
“They’ve helped me in all aspects and everyone at the club was really good to and we were both in agreement when it came to me moving on.
“When Paul Sheerin phoned me and said they couldn’t offer me anything I totally understood and agreed because I need to play football and if I’m not going to get it at Aberdeen then I need to go elsewhere.”
Bollan was loaned to Peterhead in February, but only played three games for the Blue Toon before the coronavirus crisis resulted in football being halted.
The former Dundee United youth player believes playing at part-time level next season is what his career development needs.
The Championship as well as Leagues 1 and 2 look set to start in October and Bollan hopes to have found a club by then.
He added: “I got a wee taste of first-team football at Peterhead, but it wasn’t as big a taste as I would have liked because of the pandemic.
“I think part-time is a realistic option and it’s the right time for me. Sometimes you have to take one step back to go forward two. I won’t be going down to part-time level and just going through the motions. I want to be playing regularly, learning and trying to improve.
“I got good results at school so I have them to fall back on and I hope I’ll be able to use them to find a pathway outside football while continuing to play part-time.
“And if I’m playing part-time and doing well the chance might well be there to play full-time again.”