Former Liverpool, Wales midfielder Allen to retire
Published
Saturday's Swansea City match is the last one of the Championship season and it will be the last one of Joe Allen's career.
The 35-year-old former Wales midfielder confirmed Friday that he will retire after the Swans' match with Oxford United.
Allen is in his 19th pro season, having made his senior debut with Swansea in back in 2006.
"This is incredibly difficult," Allen said in a statement. "This is not something I've taken lightly, I've spent a lot of time pondering it," said Allen. "The timing's right. I made the decision, got to 100 per cent about a month ago. I wasn't sure how the last few weeks would go, how I'd find things, but it's actually been a good spell really. I've enjoyed it."
In his second spell with Swansea, Allen also spent four seasons with Liverpool and six with Stoke City. He notched 16 goals in 1999 Premier League appearances for the three sides.
Internationally, Allen was capped 77 times by the Dragons, appearing at a Euro and a World Cup.