FORMER Liverpool star Brad Jones has announced his retirement from football aged 41.
The Australian international returned to his homeland in 2021 to sign for Perth Glory.
Now the goalkeeper has decided to hang up his boots after his two-year deal there expired.
Confirming the news on social media, the former Reds and Middlesbrough stopper said:
“The time has come to hang up my gloves and bring to an end this long journey that has taken me all over the world for the last 25 years doing what I could only dream of as a young boy in Perth.
“I’ve had the privilege to play alongside some of the best players in the world and work with some fantastic coaches that have helped me along the way.
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“To the fans of my former clubs, I thank you for your support. It is amazing to think that I have been a part of some historic moments for some of them.
“I have to thank my wife Dani, who has had to make many sacrifices, moving wherever my career took us.
“And also my three children who have now lived in four countries and have always adapted and made the decisions to move so much easier.
“Unfortunately, my time at Perth Glory was disrupted with niggles and what was originally thought to be a fairly small injury has now kept me out for over a year, and ultimately put an end to my playing days.
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“I hope to continue to stay involved in football in some capacity in the future and continue to part of the beautiful game.”
Jones was snapped up by then Premier League Middlesbrough in 1999 as a teenager and rose through the ranks of their academy.
After 57 top-flight appearances for Boro and several loan spells that included stints at Irish club Shelbourne, Stockport, Rotherham, Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday, he headed to Anfield in a £2.3m move in 2010.
The life-long Liverpool supporter was deputy for Pepe Reina during his five-years on Merseyside, which included a loan stint at Derby, but appeared 27 times for the club.
He also earned a League Cup winners’ medal in 2012 but departed the Reds for Bradford in 2015.
He then headed to NEC in Holland prior to joining Feyenoord, where he would go on to win the Eredivisie title, before a three-year spell with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr from 2018 before going back to Australia.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
