STEPHEN HUNT has admitted his disappointment after missing out on a deadline-day move to Everton.

The Reading winger, currently on international duty with the Republic of Ireland, was the subject of a bid from the Merseyside club on Monday night.

However, with Everton unable to come up with the £5million up front which would have activated a get-out clause in his contract, the deadline passed without any deal being struck.

Hunt was disappointed the Royals had not been more flexible in return for the service he has given them over the past three years. He said: “I spoke to the manager (Steve Coppell), the director of football (Nick Hammond), the coaches. They were asking if I wanted to leave, and they knew my stance.

“I haven’t been a bad apple in the club over the last two or three years.

“I could have been, but I wasn’t. I have been ultra profess-ional and probably deserve a little bit better from them. But then again, I understand where they are coming from. They wanted to keep hold of me. But to further my career, that would have been a good move.”