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Former Blues Striker Bent Retires - Ipswich Town News

Former Blues striker Darren Bent has announced his retirement at the age of 35.

Cambridge-based Bent came through the Town academy having been spotted playing for Godmanchester Rovers’ U13s by Blues scout Barry Kettlewell.

The Tooting-born frontman made his first-team debut as a sub in the UEFA Cup tie away in Helsingborg in November 2001. He scored the first of his 55 Blues goals in the 4-1 League Cup defeat at Newcastle United later the same month and netted his first Premier League goal in the 1-0 home win against Middlesbrough the following April.

In total, Bent made 116 starts and 25 sub appearances for Town before departing to Charlton for £3 million in the summer of 2005. Town received a further £2.58 million via a sell-on when Bent left the Addicks for Tottenham in the summer of 2007.

Spells with Sunderland, Aston Villa, Fulham (loan), Brighton (loan), Derby (initially loan) and Burton (loan) followed as well as 13 full caps and four goals for England, having previously represented the U15s, U16s, U19s and U21s.

He was released by Derby at the end of the 2017/18 campaign having spent the second half of that season on loan with the Brewers.

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