Andy Booth has announced his decision to retire from professional football at the end of the season.
Terriers legend announces retirement
Andy Booth has announced his decision to retire from professional football at the end of the season.
The veteran striker is currently on the books of hometown club Huddersfield Town, meaning he will have started and finished his 17-year career at the same club.
At 35-years-old he feels it is time to move on and enter a new phase in his life, which will involve working in an ambassadorial role for the Terriers.
He has enjoyed a number of memorable moments down the years, including spells spent in the top flight at Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham, but admits he has known for some time that he would hang up his boots this summer.
"I always had it in my mind that this was going to be my last season," he told Huddersfield's
official website.
"With it being the centenary year I always wanted to play and go out on a high. We haven't made it to the play-offs this season but we will finish in a good position and I knew that I'd finish at the end of the season.
"I'm disappointed with the way the season's gone with my back because I wanted to play a bigger part in the season, I wanted to get back, be involved in the team and in the last five or six games I'm pleased to have done that.
"I've only really been speaking to the gaffer (Lee Clark) about it over the past few weeks and we were both in agreement that this is the right way to go."
Health
Booth could yet be called upon in the future, though, as he admits his registration will continue to be held by Huddersfield in case they get desperate.
"The club is keeping my registration and if they need me next year I'll be here," he added.
"I've played okay in the last couple of games and it is great to be able to finish the season and finish my career on a high, but it hasn't tempted me to change my mind. I know how my body feels and I couldn't put it through another full season.
"The most important thing is that I look after my health. The funny thing is that everybody has talked about my knees since I was in my early twenties, but they've been fine.
"For me to get to this age and still be playing has been fantastic. I said to myself that anything over the age of 30 is a bonus, but to still be playing at 35 and still be at Huddersfield means a lot to me."
