STAN COLLYMORE has announced his retirement from football at the age of 30.

The former England international, who moved to Real Oviedo two months ago to rejuvenate his career, returned to England on Tuesday, but the Spanish club said that this was to sort out personal matters and expected him back at the end of the week.

However Collymore's spokesman Ian Monk said on Wednesday game said that the former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool ace was quitting the game.

"Stan feels it is time to quit the game, explore other career options and spend more time with his family," Monk said.

This decision comes at the end of the most tumultuous 12 months of Collymore's rollercoaster career.

Collymore joined Leicester City from Aston Villa in February, but after a fabulous start at Filbert Street - where he netted a hat-trick on his debut - he broke his leg in April.

Worse was to follow when he returned to full fitness in the summer as he fell out with new Foxes boss Peter Taylor over his wage demands for a new contract and was placed on the transfer list.

Bradford signed the multi-talented striker on a free transfer in October and again he made a fabulous debut hitting an outstanding overhead kick in the derby game against Leeds.

Collymore was only to score one more goal for the Bantams as another change in manager - with Jim Jefferies coming in for Chris Hutchings - saw him heading for the exit door at Valley Parade.

The player saw the move to Oviedo in January as the perfect way to rejuvenate his career away from the hawkish English press, but his short spell in Spain has been disappointing with him making just a couple of substitute appearances and failing even to make his trademark brilliant start at his new employees.

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Answers

How does this rank in the 'Waste of talent in the modern era' stakes?

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Who really cares? The guy's a world-class headbanger!

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

.....but he did score a crackin' hattrick in his debut game for Leicester. Now, somebody remind me - who were they playing??? ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Screacher.....that has got to be the best match the bloke ever played.

He hit a good one in Paris once......it was Uli!

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Lets get him here on loan. We need a headcase to add a bit of ooomph to our pack of fairies. He could team up with "England bad boy"(ahem) Mr Dyer and get us back on the media map! After listening to so many mind numbing webcasts this season, a front page article in the Sun featuring a headbutting competition Collymore vs Shearer would go down a treat. But seriously Id get him here for a few months no matter what the risk- things cudnt get much worse.

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Spud - what makes you think he's do anything for us? A year or so ago, I'd have taken the risk, but since then he's blown it at Leicester and he's blown it at Orviedo. Why would it be any different in Toon? I suspect the only person who would touch him with a barge-pole would be Ms Jonnson. And a bliddy big one, weilded with maximum force at that.

Mind you - for a one off against the Mackems at the SoL.............£5k per goal bonus.

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Were not going to get relegated or get into Europe so no harm in a loan till end of season is there? Hows about Shearer playing just behind Cort+Collymore? S**t Manure just equalized- im off to bed :-(

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

"Stan feels it is time to quit the game, explore other career options " So what are these othe career otions? He a joke, no one will employ him again.

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

.....and in conclusion, the Greenspun bbs-ers wish you a long and very happy retirement Stan. Tosser!

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

According to the Guardian, Stanley Victor seems to already have an idea what he'll do next:

He has told friends that he really wants to open an upmarket clothes shop, using what he calls his "extensive knowledge" of buying and wearing clothes.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

yes, he's got quite a diverse eye for colours hasn't he?

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

His new range of eye-makeup is bound to be a big hit with the ladies.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001