A former Sunderland striker has opened up on his future after agreeing a new one-year deal with his current club.
A former Sunderland striker has admitted he is considering retiring at the end of the upcoming season after helping his current club to a historic cup final win.
It’s five years since the Black Cats completed a move for former Northern Ireland international Kyle Lafferty as they looked to bring an end to their time in League One. However, the forward’s time at the Stadium of Light would be brief as the Covid-19 pandemic brought a premature end to the 2019/20 season after Lafferty has scored just twice in his 11 appearances for the club. Both of those goals came in the penultimate game of the curtailed season as the well-travelled frontman scored twice in a 2-2 home draw with Gillingham - but he had joined Italian side Reggina by the time the following season has got underway.
Lafferty went on to spend time with the likes of Kilmarnock, Anorthosis Famagusta and Linfield before he moved into the West of Scotland League with Johnstone Burgh in the summer of 2023. After his first season was decimated by a serious knee injury, Lafferty bounced back in some style last season as he scored the decisive penalty in a shoot-out to help his side see off Tranent Juniors to lift the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time since 1968.
Now 37, Lafferty has committed to one more season with the club and is targeting one last hurrah by guiding the Burgh into the Lowland League before he hangs up his boots.
He said: “I would like to be [at Burgh next season]. I know I am getting on and, if I am here next year, it will probably be my last season. I would like to go out leaving the club in the Lowland League. Even after I hang up my boots, I would like to stay on as a coach at the club. It is something I have looked at. I have my own soccer academy as well so I think I can pass on my experience and hopefully bring the young lads on because I think we don’t have a lot of lads from the 21s coming through. Hopefully that will be a side I can look after.”
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