Former Blues' midfielder Micky Stockwell has announced his retirement from league football. Stockwell, 38, joined Colchester United from Town in the summer of 2000 after spending 18 years at Portman Road.

Stockwell has been suffering with back problems recently and this, he told the Colchester club site, led to him hanging up his boots: "It was not a hard decision because I knew that I couldn't go on forever.

"I have enjoyed my time at Colchester United immensely, but the niggles with my back were becoming more frequent and it was becoming more obvious to me that I wasn't doing it on the pitch on a regular enough basis."

The midfielder or full-back (and occasional striker) left Portman Road as the Blues went into the Premiership in 2000 and made 145 appearances for the Layer Road club, 139 of them part of an unbroken stint in the side.

The player himself is surprised he played so often in his latter years: “When I signed for Colchester, I didn't really expect to play as many games as I have, but I was 35 when I joined and at that age, you just think that you will play as long as you are enjoying it. I had been enthusiastic throughout my time at Layer Road, but you instinctively know when is the right time to stop playing.

“I have played close to 750 games and that takes its toll on you over time. I had sat down and looked into the future and I knew that I wanted to be able to walk properly when I am older and that means stopping now. I will be 38-and-a-half by the time next season starts, and the cut off point has to come somewhere.”

Stockwell made 610 appearances for Town and scored 44 goals between 1982 and 2000. For Colchester he scored 24 goals in his 145 games.

The Essex-born player says he plans to become more involved in coaching now that he has retired, having had some involvement on this side of the game at Colchester.

Photo: Action Images

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