Midfielder draws the curtain on a fantastic career

Vale midfielder Chris Shuker has officially announced his retirement from the game and has more than likely made his final appearance in a Vale shirt.

He came off the bench last weekend against Sheffield United, watched by his family in the stands, but says he would be available for the Peterborough game should somebody report in sick overnight.

At 32 years old, the knee injury he picked up seven years ago has finally got the better of him, but he has no regrets about what can only be described as a fantastic career.

Shuker says: “I have played my last game now, depending on whether or not anyone falls ill overnight, and it is the end of my career.

“I got the injury when I was at Tranmere on Boxing Day, 2007 and it has never actually been the same – I have never fully recovered from it.

“It has got worse and worse and I have got to look at my future, think of my family and at things I want to do in my life – I am only young still at 32.

“If I carry on trying to drag it out I won’t be able to walk, so I have got to be the bigger person, hold my hands up and say I have had a good career and I have enjoyed myself whatever club I have played for.

“A lot of people would snap my hand off for the career I have had and I don’t take it for granted for a second. Now is the time to move on to new pastures and start a new career.”

Micky Adams has known about the player’s intention to draw the curtain on his career for some time now and is sorry to see him go.

The Vale boss recognises what he offered to the squad on a daily basis and was quick to sing his praises.

He said: “He has been a fantastic professional and has never been a problem. He has worked hard every day and even looking at him in training, you just wonder how he has managed to survive.

“Chris is a fantastic lad, a great professional, a real model professional and somebody who the young lads can look up to and say ‘that’s how you do it’ on a daily basis.

“I am delighted he was part of the squad that got promoted and sorry perhaps that he has not played as many games this season as he would have liked.

“But I have known about this on-going problem with his knee for a long, long time and it is a sad end to a fantastic career for him.”