Rio Ferdinand hangs his boots

The 36-year-old has called time on his 19-year
career, having won six Premier League titles and
the Champions League with Manchester United
Rio Ferdinand has announced his retirement from
professional football.
The 36-year-old has called time on his 19-year
career after being released by QPR earlier this
week.
Ferdinand won six Premier League titles, the
Champions League, the FA Cup and three League
Cup trophies in 12 seasons with Manchester
United. He was also capped 81 times by England.
“After 18 years as a professional footballer, I now
feel it's the right time for me to retire from the
game that I love," Ferdinand said in a statement to
BT Sport .
“As a 12-year-old boy, kicking around a football
on the Friary Estate in Peckham, I never dreamt
that I would play for my boyhood club West Ham,
captain Leeds United, win the Champions League
with Manchester United, or re-join my first
manager Harry Redknapp at Queens Park Rangers.
“I will always regard the 81 times that I played for
England, with immense pride. These are all
treasured memories that will last a lifetime.
“Starting a career, every young man needs
mentors. I found mine in Dave Goodwin, the
district manager at Blackheath, and Tony Carr, the
youth team manager at West Ham. They installed
in me personality traits that lasted throughout my
career. I will always be grateful to them.
“I'd like to thank Chris Ramsey, Harry Redknapp,
David O'Leary and David Moyes who managed me
at various times in my career, all the backroom
staff who looked after me over the years, and the
players that I played with. I would also like to
thank the team who managed me off the pitch,
Jamie Moralee and everybody at New Era.
“Winning trophies over my 13 years at Manchester
United allowed me to achieve everything that I
desired in football. From a young child to today,
that was all I cared about.
“None of that would have been possible, without
the genius of one man, Sir Alex Ferguson. His
greatest accomplishment in my eyes will always be
how he developed us as men, not just as
footballers. He will in my opinion, always be the
greatest manager in British football history.
“I'd also like to thank and pay tribute to my wife
Rebecca and my family, including my mother and
father, for their sacrifices, their encouragement and
their advice throughout my career.
“And finally, I'd like to thank all the fans from all
the clubs - for without them professional football
would not exist. I will miss each and every one of
you on my Saturday afternoons.”