FILIPE Morais has dispelled the conspiracy theory that has hung over his Valley Parade exit.

The winger has been in scintillating form since re-signing for Phil Parkinson at Bolton in February.

Morais has already contributed two goals and 11 assists to push his new club towards automatic promotion.

But some City fans are still suspicious at the way he was snapped up by his former manager straight after agreeing to cancel his contract on transfer deadline day.

Stuart McCall was led to believe that Morais would be joining a Scottish club, thought to be Inverness. Instead he headed for Bolton, who have had to work within the constraints of an on-going transfer embargo.

Yet Morais has stressed that Parkinson only declared an interest after being told that he was a free agent.

He said: "The gaffer heard I had been released at Bradford and phoned me. He kept asking: 'Are you sure?'

"From such a bad position I was in at Bradford, being in and out for six months, I find myself in a very good position now.

"I've been playing well, will hopefully get promoted, and I just want to continue doing the hard work because I feel like I will get the rewards."

Morais made 23 appearances for City this season with nine starts – his last on Boxing Day at home to Scunthorpe and – admits there is an element of wanting to prove them wrong that is spurring him on.

He said: "This is just delayed form. It was so frustrating at Bradford because I felt I was doing it every day in training but kept getting overlooked.

"I felt there was a space in that side for me because I can play so many different positions.

"All that build-up has contributed to where I am now. You are always trying to prove someone wrong and that is definitely the case right now.

"You get a few assists and people think 'well that's him done' but then you want to prove those people wrong too. I want to keep going.

"When you are flying high, you have to keep going as long as you can. You ride the wave."

Morais hopes City can win promotion via the League One play-offs – as long as Bolton have already booked their return to the Championship.

"I would love to see Bradford do well, just so long as we get what we deserve first," he told the T&A's sister paper the Bolton News.

"If we get automatic, it would be great to sit back and see them get promoted through the play-offs.

"To be brutally honest, I am not really thinking about them – but I wish them well because I have friends there still.

"I am fully focused on us getting what we deserve. I feel like I want it for me too because I have worked really hard behind the scenes to get to the position I'm in. I think I have got more to offer as well."

Morais' spectacular run has been lauded by fans at the Macron as Bolton close in on clinching the second automatic spot and he admitted he would not have been able to handle the praise when he was younger.

The Portuguese said: "That's why I have had a mediocre career – because of how I was as a younger player. It was only when I got to Bradford that Phil Parkinson changed my mentality and way of thinking.

"His quote was always 'when you get older, you need to live like a monk' because he wanted to get the best out of me.

"Managers have always said I was technically-gifted or a good player but I couldn't last 90 minutes. I couldn't get around the pitch.

"The gaffer and Nick Allamby have made me a better athlete and that is where I am now."