Thursday, 19th July, 2012

English defender Ledley King has called time on his career as a professional footballer after recurring knee injuries made it very hard for him to play regularly for Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the club announced in an official statement that even though the player may have retired from football, the former Tottenham captain will continue to serve the White Hart Lane outfit as an ambassador.

King belongs to a special breed of footballers, as he is one of the few players in the modern era to have remained at a single club for their entire career.


The Englishman joined the Spurs youth academy as a 14-year-old and signed a professional contract with the club in 1998 at the age of 18. He started his first game in the shirt of Lilywhites in 1999 and went on to lead the club for a number of years.

The 31-year-old made 323 appearances for the London-based side and even scored 14 goals.

King was first diagnosed with a knee injury in 2006. The injury was persistent for the rest of his career and is the primary reason why he has called time on his playing stint.

He enjoys the status of a cult hero at the White Hart Lane and chairman Daniel Levy announced through a statement on Tottenham’s official website that the player will continue to serve the Lillywhites as an ambassador.

“It is in an ambassadorial capacity that Ledley will continue, playing a crucial role in supporting the club’s work in the community and the ongoing regeneration of the Tottenham area, whilst also being a hugely positive role model for our younger players”, said the chairman.

King thanked the club and the fans for their support throughout his battle with injuries and said that the North London side will always occupy a special place in his heart.

“I have been here since I was a boy, I have always considered it my club and have always found it hard to imagine wearing the shirt of another team”, admitted the 31-year-old.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone at the club and to the fans. Spurs fans have always been patient and incredibly supportive with me during difficult periods”, said King while praising the White Hart Lane faithful.

Inside-Bet.com
EXCLUSIVE FREE BETS, EXPERT TIPSTERS & MORE
http://www.inside-bet.com

   Latest Features:

Follow Inside Futbol on Twitter