Former Irish League winger Marty Donnelly will take a ‘timeout’ before deciding his next move after confirming his retirement at the weekend.
Donnelly, who won league titles with both Cliftonville and the Blues, decided to hang up his boots after struggling with his fitness and mobility during a prolonged period of sciatica.
The 33-year-old told Belfast Live on Sunday: “It isn’t easy retiring from the sport you love, but I knew the time was right to step away. I’m happy with what I did in the game.”
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As for the future, Donnelly - who will go down as one of the most gifted ball players to grace the local game - is eager to take a break before weighing up his options.
“I don’t know how much I’ll miss playing or what I’ll miss most,” he said. “I’ve just made my decision, it’s all new and I don’t know how I’ll feel in a month or when the new season starts.
“I was 15 when I first went across the water (to Sheffield United) and every day since has been about playing football and having that structure to my life.
“I won’t have that anymore, so it’ll be a step into the unknown. I plan to give myself a couple of months off, step back a bit, consider my next move and maybe look for a job.
“I haven’t ruled out trying to stay in football, whether that’s coaching or something else.
“I wouldn’t mind getting back into coaching, but my plan for now is to take time off, watch a few games at the start of the season and take things from there.”
After joining Crusaders on his return from Sheffield United in 2008, Donnelly went on to win multiple trophies with every Irish League club he played for.
He lifted the Irish Cup and County Antrim Shield with the Crues before winning two league titles, four League Cups and a Shield with Cliftonville.
The classy midfielder also helped Larne gain promotion to the Danske Bank Premiership in 2019 before lifting the Shield with the East Antrim club in 2020.
Donnelly went on to add a third league title to his career with Linfield in April after joining the Blues from Larne last summer, although his final season was disrupted by injury.
On winning double digit trophies as a player, Donnelly, who was capped by Northern Ireland in 2009, said: “It’s not a bad return when you go through them all. I’m happy enough.”
Hard to believe several respected managers felt a younger Donnelly wasn’t robust or big enough to deal with the physical demands of the Irish League when he returned home from England in 2008.
“I did alright for someone who was too small and couldn’t run,” he smiled. “A lot of clubs actually talked to me when I came home but they didn’t sign me because of my size.
“It’s funny looking back. Stephen Baxter gave me a chance at Crusaders and after my first season there, some of the same managers who didn’t fancy me came calling for me.”
While Donnelly values the memories of every club he played for and the medals he won as a player, two league titles with Cliftonville in 2013 and 2014 stand out as personal highlights.
The late Tommy Breslin was the mastermind behind a formidable Reds team that included the likes of captain George McMullan, Liam Boyce, Barry Johnston, Marc Smyth and Ryan Catney.
And they delivered in style with back-to-back Gibson Cups, the first clinched by a late McMullan penalty in a 3-2 win over Linfield on a momentous day at Solitude in April 2013.
“I grew up supporting Cliftonville so those two titles stand out,” said Donnelly.
“Winning the first one in 2013 when George (McMullan) scored a late penalty against Linfield to clinch the club’s first title in 15 years was an amazing experience.
“I came on as a sub that day and I couldn’t watch when he stepped up. I had to turn away. It was just an incredible moment and to be part of that day was really special.
“It’s strange looking back now because at the time we felt we were big underdogs to win the title and yet that was an amazing Cliftonville team. It had so many good players.
“Everyone seemed to peak at the right time and you had the likes of Georgie, the Scannell brothers, Boycie, Catney.. I could go on. It was just a fantastic team.”
On calling time on his career because of sciatica, Donnelly said: “The problem was down the left hand side. At first I thought it was my hamstring, but it turned out to be sciatica.
“I was on holiday recently and went for a few walks and it was still causing me problems. It was getting to the point where I was struggling to walk downstairs in the morning.
“I decided to phone David (Healy) to tell him I was retiring. I had a year left on my contract at Linfield, but it was the right thing to do.
"I didn’t want to try and play on next season, get five minutes here or 10 minutes there and end up getting seriously injured. I knew it was time to step away.”
On social media, current and former teammates were quick to pay warm and heartfelt tributes to Donnelly.
Former Cliftonville captain McMullan described him as “one of the best on and off the pitch” while Crusaders goalkeeper Sean O’Neill tweeted: “A top man and a class act.”
Larne right-back Tomas Cosgrove, who forged a formidable right wing partnership during their time together at Inver Park, wrote: “I’ll never forget everything he has done for me.
“One of the good guys in life and the best I’ve ever played with.”
Referencing Donnelly’s superb left foot, former Irish League goalkeeper Michael Doherty joked: “The only man with a better delivery than next day Amazon Prime.”
As the curtain falls on a wonderful Irish League career, few would argue.
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