So When Did You Know It Was Time to Stop Playing?

[bignose07]

Specific incident, physical demand on the body, a mate had a word or something else..........?

[kay weller]

When the fa stopped me!,
i played from the age of 5 till 11yrs old and was pretty decent apparently there is no place in football for females between the ages of 11 yrs old and womens football

[gonzo]

When an orthapeadic surgeon looks at your mri scan and says ''you will need a knee replacement in your lifetime, how soon you need it depends on how you manage your body, i can do it when you are 65 or 45, makes no odds to me but it will to you''...

I did actually ignore his advice and play for another 5 months until my knee started becoming painfull between games... I then waved the white flag.

[slackjack]

Depends what you mean, there are plenty of over 37's who play veterans footy each week and i sometimes allow people to see me for free, ha ha.
If you meant retire from a more competitive level, then after 9 op's in my last 6 years, the last a total achillies rupture, finished the game for me as 6 months off work was the final straw at 39, some 6 years ago now. However, i still love football, continued to coach and manage but even thats finished for me now, mainly in part to players attitudes. If i was honest and my current situation allowed i'd still play every week...so in one of my short ways to answer a question, i don't know!

[gonzo]

depends what you mean, there are plenty of over 37's who play veterans footy each week and i sometimes allow people to see me for free, ha ha.
If you meant retire from a more competitive level, then after 9 op's in my last 6 years, the last a total achillies rupture, finished the game for me as 6 months off work was the final straw at 39, some 6 years ago now. However, i still love football, continued to coach and manage but even thats finished for me now, mainly in part to players attitudes. If i was honest and my current situation allowed i'd still play every week...so in one of my short ways to answer a question, i don't know!

..

Jimmy quinn tried to retire you ya daft bugger in 1995 but you didnt take any notice

i retired myself in 2010... However... Im still good for 6-10 games a year at vets level (with no pre-season) , thats my limit.. And as ambitious as i am now jonny

[Mike May]

When the players started getting younger and faster, and the wife started to give me earache!

[bignose07]

I started aching in places i didnt know i had and for much much longer.

The good lady didnt hold back when she recently commented "your pace used to negate your poor touch. 'nuff said!

[Mike May]

when the fa stopped me!,
i played from the age of 5 till 11yrs old and was pretty decent apparently there is no place in football for females between the ages of 11 yrs old and womens football

now come on kay you know your place is in the home looking after the menfolk

[slackjack]

I assume from your post that was your way of asking to play next year, well you're in and anyone else on here who is over 37 by the end of september this year, i've decided to give it another go so please pm me if you're interested?

The truth gonz' is that every manager tried to retire me but i'm a stubborn bugger and only play now out of spite to those doubters but quinnies was the most obvious when he left the once mighty wick to go to lewes and asked me to go......as reserve team manager...i took the hint and stayed at wick in 1 for another 3 years....but i do wonder what might have happened?

[guerrero]

I was still playing County League aged 42 when we left for Spain.I got roped into playing in Spain for a team where the average age without me was about 18.They could run,but they couldn't organise and they couldn't pass or deliver a decent dead ball.
It was great playing for them,but almost all matches were on artificial surfaces and if I played on a saturday I was still struggling to walk on a wednesday.When your job is to teach sport.not being able to walk is a bit of a handicap.
It was the groins that hurt the most,although the knees,hips and ankles weren't far behind.
After nearly 1300 senior appearances it was time to bow out.
Nothing replaces playing and the banter of a good changing room.You should keep playing until nobody will pick you any more!