Former Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan has been forced to announce his retirement at the age of 29 following a battle with long-term injuries.
Flanagan made a name for himself in the 2013/14 season when Liverpool made a charge for the Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers and even scored in the win over Tottenham in 2014.
The full-back spent the entirety of the following campaign on the sidelines with a persistent knee injury before securing loan moves to Burnley and Bolton Wanderers. Rangers became his next permanent home in 2018.
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Flanagan struggled in Glasgow and went on to join Sporting Charleroi in Belgium and HB Koge in Denmark before having his contract terminated by the Danish club in June.
The 29-year-old took to social media to announce his retirement: "Unfortunately after careful consideration I have made the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make: to retire from professional football. The last 14 months I have tried everything possible to recover from my most recent knee surgery.
“However, ultimately my long-term health has to come first, so following medical advice the right thing for me to do now is retire from the game. My dream as a boy was to grow up and play football for a living and today I’m so proud to say I lived that dream.
“Not only playing and captaining my boyhood club Liverpool but also making an appearance for my country, those memories created will last a lifetime and I’m so grateful that I have had the experience many others can only wish for.
“I would like to thank everyone for their support over my journey, especially my girlfriend, family, team-mates, coaches and agents. I feel very fortunate to have you all in my life. Also, a massive thank you to the fans of Liverpool, Glasgow Rangers, Burnley, Bolton, Charleroi and HB Koge who have supported me throughout.
“You have been great and have made my journey an unforgettable one! I will now begin the next chapter of my football journey and I’m excited about what the future brings. See you soon, Flanno.”
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