Joe Thompson opens up on decision to retire after cancer battle

Joe Thompson says he retired from football following advice from his doctors after battling back from cancer twice.

The former Rochdale midfielder announced his retirement on Tuesday, saying he had "pushed his body to the limit" and that it was one of the "hardest decisions" he had ever had to make.

After overcoming cancer for a second time, Thompson scored a winner for Rochdale to keep them in League One on the final day of last season.

In an interview with Sky Sports News, he said of his decision to retire: "I didn't make it overnight.

"I've probably spent the best part of two months pondering. And then I spoke to my specialist before the turn of the year and they said, 'I think it has come to the time where you need to step aside from football and do something new'.

"When they said that, it rubber-stamped it, it confirmed what I thought. I've just not been able to recover nowhere near as quickly as I used to - it's probably the treatment that's taken its toll.

"I've not slept much, my phone has been going off quite a lot. But I came to the decision and I'm at peace with it. I'm looking forward to the future and opportunities that will come my way.

"A fan said it yesterday: 'It's amazing that you're able to announce your retirement'. You do have to put things into perspective - football has been absolutely unbelievable to me.

"It's a part of my life, you always know as a pro that it will come to an end. But like you say, I'm here to tell the tale and that's the important message people should get from it.

"It's not a sad day, it's a victory for football in a way because they've really rallied around me and supported me in some dark times."