Gavin Massey has announced his retirement from professional football, bringing a 16-year career to a close. The former Colchester United winger confirmed the decision on social media.
"After 16 years in the professional game it's definitely the right time to retire from football," Massey said. He arrived at Colchester on loan from Watford in January 2012, with the move made permanent by then-manager John Ward later that year. Massey went on to make 178 league and cup appearances for the club, scoring 21 goals, and was voted Players' Player of the Year twice by his teammates before departing in 2016.
Massey joined Leyton Orient, where he scored eight goals in 36 games, before moving to Wigan Athletic on a two-year deal in 2017. He played 166 times for the Latics and was part of the squad that won promotion from League One to the Championship in the 2022-23 season. After leaving Wigan in 2022, he had spells with Port Vale, AFC Fylde and Bury. In his retirement post, Massey referenced the full arc of his career. "From starting out at 6 to making my professional debut at 17, playing 565 games, to winning leagues, to being relegated," he wrote.
His announcement comes as his former club, Colchester United, sit 15th in the standings with 10 points from eight games. Their recent form shows one win in their last five league matches, and they are looking to build momentum after a 2-2 draw with Shrewsbury last time out. The team's next challenge is a home fixtures against Port Vale, where they will aim to improve on a record of scoring an average of one goal every 90 minutes so far this season. Massey thanked everyone involved in his career and indicated he will now focus on passing down his experience through his @masseyfootballacademy.
This story first appeared at Yahoo
