A former Premier League striker has called time on his career just one month after joining his new club.
The 34-year-old claimed it ‘doesn’t feel it’s right to collect a wage from such good people’ after losing his passion for the game.
And so ends a career which has spanned 531 games, taking in 11 clubs across 14 stints.
His career often saw him be the bridesmaid but never the bride, as he had to settle for a runners-up medal five times, though he did taste success with one trophy in 2021.
The striker in question is none other than Gary Madine, who played five Premier League games for Cardiff City in the 2018-19 season.
Scoring 119 goals overall, he played at every level of the football pyramid down to the sixth-tier National League North, where he has finished up with Spennymoor Town.
Former Premier League striker Gary Madine, who made five appearances in the top flight for Cardiff City in 2018-19, has retired aged 34
The ex-EFL star scored 119 goals in 531 appearances but now says the ‘fire in the belly’ is gone
His deal has been cut short after discussions with manager Graeme Lee.
Madine said: ‘I would like to thank the Spennymoor fans, my teammates and everyone involved at the club for making me feel so welcome.
‘Unfortunately, I’ve realised that I no longer have that fire in my belly that has helped me have the career I have had.
‘And I don’t feel it’s right to collect a wage from such good people when I know my heart isn’t 100 per cent in it.
‘I wish everyone at Spennymoor all the success in the world and hope they go on to have a really enjoyable season.’
Lee added: ‘Gary leaves with our best wishes for the future.
‘We’re sorry it’s not worked out for him the way we had hoped but we wish him well in his retirement and congratulate him on a fantastic career.’
Unfortunately, he didn’t quite bag a goal in the Premier League, and the same goes at Spennymoor, where he only played two games after signing in the summer.
Madine, who played for a host of clubs across the pyramid, finished his career at Spennymoor
But fans will mostly remember him for his long career in the EFL and his haul of more than 220 Championship appearances for Blackpool, Cardiff, Sheffield United, Bolton, Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday.
At that level, he scored 37 goals and contributed 21 assists.
In League One, he bagged 56 goals and assisted 20 in 209 appearances for Carlisle, Wednesday, Coventry, Bolton and Blackpool.
He also turned out for Rochdale and Chesterfield in League Two, and Hartlepool in the National League last season.
Madine was part of many successful teams, winning promotions in second place with Wednesday, Bolton, Sheffield United, and Cardiff – the latter to the Premier League – while he won the League One play-offs with Blackpool.
He almost won the 2009-10 Football League Trophy, even scoring in the final, but was denied as Carlisle lost 4-1 to Alan Pardew’s Southampton, who fielded Michail Antonio, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Jose Fonte, and Kelvin Davies that day.
