Former Leeds United defender Kyle Bartley has received plenty of lovely messages following confirmation of his retirement.
Luke Ayling has wished ‘best mate’ and former Leeds United teammate Kyle Bartley a happy retirement following confirmation he will hang up his boots this week.
Bartley confirmed his retirement on Friday after being unable to fully recover from a knee injury sustained while playing for West Bromwich Albion last season. The 34-year-old played 407 games across a 16-year career at Arsenal, Sheffield United, Rangers, Swansea, Birmingham, Leeds and the Baggies.
Exactly 50 of those appearances came during a 2016/17 season-long loan spell at Leeds in which he reunited with former Swansea boss Garry Monk, joining in July 2016. One month later, the Whites snapped up Bristol City full-back Luke Ayling for a bargain £500,000 on the recommendation of Bartley himself.
The pair rose through Arsenal’s academy ranks together and reunited with success at Elland Road, both enjoying impressive campaigns as Leeds finished seventh, falling just short of a play-off place before Bartley returned to parent club Swansea. While their senior careers have largely come apart from one another, the two remain close friends and Ayling posted a heartfelt message to his pal on Friday evening.
Alongside pictures of the pair together on his Instagram story, Ayling wrote: “Happy retirement my brother. Friendship that started 18 years ago and still my best mate today. Love you brother. Enjoy retirement brother.”
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Bartley was a pillar of one of Leeds’ most successful recent teams pre-Marcelo Bielsa, playing all but one regular-season game as Monk’s side finished just five points outside the Championship play-offs. The centre-back formed a battling partnership alongside Pontus Jansson and contributed further forward with six goals.
Kyle Bartley statement after retirement confirmed
After returning to Swansea in the summer of 2017, Bartley’s next move was a permanent one as he joined West Brom 12 months later. The experienced centre-back would go on to spend seven years at the Hawthorns, doing what he was unable to with Leeds in securing promotion.
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In a statement confirming his retirement, Bartley said: “I am fortunate to have represented some outstanding clubs during my career and Albion holds a particularly special place in my heart. Unfortunately, a knee injury I picked up during last season has led me to make the difficult decision to hang up my boots, despite my best efforts to rehabilitate from it.
“I consider myself incredibly lucky to have played the game I love, and it is the highs and lows of football that have helped make me the man I am today. I would like to place on record my thanks to all at the club for their support during my seven years here. The club is fortunate to have some outstanding people working at all levels and I’m lucky to have established some special friendships along the way.
“I’ll continue to support Ryan Mason and the lads and don’t plan on being a stranger at The Hawthorns – a special place that I will always be fond of. I’d also like to thank the fans for their amazing support throughout the years. My family, too, are now all fans, especially my two little girls and I’m hoping we will all be back very soon to say thank you for everything. This club will always be part of my life.”
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