Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones has announced his retirement from football and says he hopes to pursue a career in management
Jones has not played since leaving United at the end of the 2022-23 season, with his last appearance coming 12 months earlier in a 3-0 win over Brentford.
Jones, who won 27 England caps, joined United from Blackburn in 2011 but struggled with injuries throughout his career.
During his 12 years at United, Jones won the 2013 Premier League title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign as manager.
He also won the FA Cup in 2016, the League Cup and Europa League in 2017 and the Community Shield in 2011 and 2013.
Jones, who came through the youth ranks at Blackburn and made his senior debut for Rovers in 2009, added: “I did everything I could [to return to playing] but with so many rehabs I was coming back from, it has an effect on you and your family.”
Speaking previously in 2021, former centre-back Jones said he had “been through hell and back” after struggling with injuries, and lockdown following Covid-19.
Last September, he reportedly returned to United, as a youth team coach.
It was reported that the 27-cap England international was set to return to United on a coaching role.
But according to the Manchester Evening News, those claims are wide of the mark, with the defender just observing academy games.
It’s not uncommon for ex-players to spend time at the academy after leaving, imparting their wisdom on the next group of potential first team stars.
Jones was entitled to a testimonial match by virtue of spending a decade with United, but he turned the opportunity, reportedly joking, ‘apart from my mum and dad, who else would turn up?’
Jones featured 229 times for United in all competitions.
