Corey Whelan says he will remain professional after the "out of my control" decision to omit him from Carlisle United's squad list for the rest of the season.
And the out-of-favour defender says he turned down the club's offer to settle his contract for personal and family reasons.
Whelan issued a statement on social media after manager Paul Simpson earlier told the News & Star why he had left the 25-year-old out of the squad for the remainder of the campaign.
The former Liverpool and Wigan Athletic man was a notable omission from the official squad list submitted to the EFL after the January transfer window.
It means he cannot play for Carlisle in their remaining games.
Whelan, in a post on social media platform X, said he wanted to clarify his position after receiving "a lot of messages and seeing things circulating" online about the situation.
"I want to say that I have remained professional throughout this whole process and it's a decision that's been made which is out of my control," he said.
"Whether I agree or disagree with the decision, it's been made and I'll have to accept that.
"I didn't choose to settle my contract due to family and personal reasons which the club have been aware of for some time.
"That's a decision I have made and stand by 100 per cent.
"I want to reiterate that I'll stay completely professional with the remaining months I have at the club, and as much as I can't help on the pitch I'll be there to support the lads until the end of the season."
Whelan noted that he'd been at United for nearly three years and he wanted to see the club "be successful and fight for League One status next year."
He also urged everyone to "get behind the lads" for their last 15 games.
Whelan, whose contract is up in the summer, has made just seven first-team appearances this season.
That followed 74 outings in his first two campaigns in Cumbria, with Whelan having started last season's League Two play-off final victory over Stockport County at Wembley.
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