Newcastle's Nicky Butt is set to retire this summer and has been backed to move into coaching.
Veteran midfielder set to call time on playing career in summer
Nicky Butt is set to retire at the end of the season and has been backed by Newcastle boss Chris Hughton to move into coaching.
The 35-year-old midfielder has been a bit-part player during the Magpies' charge to the Championship title this season, making just 10 league starts.
But as the club captain, the former England international will lift the Championship trophy at St James' Park on Saturday, drawing the curtain on a trophy-laden career.
Butt famously came through the ranks at Manchester United with the golden generation of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers.
Trophy-laden career
He made his debut in 1992 and went on to win six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League winner's medal with United.
Butt, who won 39 caps for England, has served Newcastle since making a £2.5million move there in 2004, racking up 133 league appearances.
But his contract expires in the summer and Hughton believes he has the character to become a successful coach.
"If I look at the period of time I've been here, Nicky has been a wonderful ambassador," he said.
"I knew of him before, of course, and his achievements at United when he was one of that group of young quality players.
Grandeur
"What I've seen of him in my time here is exactly that - someone with the grandeur he had at United.
"He's 35 now but is someone that trains well every day, and when we've needed performances from him, we've got them.
"With the squad we've got, he wouldn't have got the amount of minutes on the pitch someone of his competitive nature would have liked.
"He's a hard player to leave out because he's a good player. He has characteristics to be a coach or a manager and certainly has great experience and knowledge of the game.
"A coaching position here is not something we've spoken about but Nicky is the club captain and will pick up the trophy on Saturday."
