Ex-Blues loanee Richard Stearman has announced his retirement from football, aged 36.
The defender has taken a role as first-team coach at his final club Solihull Moors.
Stearman joined Town on loan from Wolves for the second half of the 2012/13 season in which McCarthy led the Blues away from what seemed certain relegation from the Championship and made 15 appearances at right-back,
Wolverhampton-born Stearman, who was capped by England at U16, U17, U19 and U21 levels, started his career with Leicester before moving on to Wolves.
Having returned to the fold at Molineux in 2013/14 following their relegation to League One, Stearman, who also operated at centre-half, moved on to Fulham on a full-time basis at the end of that season having helped his hometown side to the title, having previously been in the squad which carried off the Championship in 2008/09.
While with the Cottagers, he spent a further stint on loan with Wolves before moving on to Sheffield United - with whom he again won promotion from the Championship - Huddersfield, Derby and finally Solihull Moors.