Manchester United defender Paul McShane announces his retirement

Paul McShane has announced his retirement from football but will stay at Manchester United as a coach.

McShane has enjoyed a long career which began when he joined United as a teenager in 2002. Having left United to join West Brom in 2006, McShane would go on to make over 400 appearances at club level. He also won 33 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

The centre-back returned to United last year in the unique role of player-coach for the Under-23s and played six games alongside the youngsters. The 36-year-old has decided to call time on his playing days but will stay with United as an academy coach for the Under-18s to the Under-23s.

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“I’m calling it a day playing now. I’ve had 20 years playing and I’ve come back into the club as a player-coach in the Under-23s," McShane told United's in-house media. "It’s been a great year and great experience but now it’s time to fully focus on the next stage of my career, which will be in coaching."It’s amazing how things work out. It’s a great way to end my career, to come back here and help the future generation with their careers. It was perfect, to be honest with you, when this role came about, and I’m grateful to the people who made it happen. I think it’s a great way to end my playing days."I am [proud]. Sometimes when you’re on the journey itself, you can get lost in it. It’s a career where there’s lots of ups and downs and there’s so many challenges, but now, I think I can look back and have fond memories of different stages of my career.

"I was just a young lad from County Wicklow in Ireland. I think my dream at the start was to play for St Joseph’s Boys, which was a Dublin team, because around my area, if