Lee Cattermole retires from football… after 77 bookings and 8 sending offs in the Premier League
Catts #Catts
Former Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole has retired from professional football at the age of 32.
The Englishman, who also played for Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic in the top-flight, was playing his football in Holland for VVV Venlo but his contract at the Dutch club ended in May.
Cattermole, who picked up 77 yellow cards and 8 sending offs in his Premier League career, revealed that he intends to go into coaching and is looking forward to the future ahead.
Ex-Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole has retired from football at the age of 32
Cattermole’s final career move was a short-term spell at Dutch club VVV Venlo
The ex-midfielder said in a statement: ‘With the current situation, the amount of time I have had at home and a great season in Holland, the time is right for me to look into going down the coaching route.
‘It was a difficult decision. If the season hadn’t finished like it did in May then things might not have been like this, but I think this is right.
‘My career has set me up for the future – a future I am looking forward to. I will be going from being an old player to being one of the youngest coaches.
The 32-year-old (left) picked up 77 yellow cards and 8 red cards in his Premier League career
‘I am happy with my playing career, although I’m sure I could have done better. I could have done worse as well.
‘I will learn from those things and I want to make sure I am an even better coach/manager than I was a player.’
Cattermole came through the youth ranks at Middlesbrough before breaking into the first-team in 2005.
Cattermole (middle) came through the ranks at Middlesbrough and captained the club at 18
He was part of the Boro side that reached the UEFA Cup Final in 2006 under Steve McLaren and is the youngest player to have ever captained the club at the age of 18.
He then moved to Wigan Athletic in 2008 but only spent a season with the Latics, before moving back to the north-east to play for Sunderland, where he spent the majority of his career.
Cattermole made 258 appearances for the Black Cats in his 10-year spell at the club, scoring ten goals. He capatined the club between 2010 and 2013 and even stayed at the club despite its double-relegation to League One.
The midfielder (top) also had a short spell at Wigan Athletic in the 2008-09 top-flight season
Cattermole stayed with Sunderland when they were relegated twice down to League One
He joined VVV Venlo 12 months ago but made just 11 eleven appearances for the Dutch Eredevisie club before leaving the club earlier this summer.
The Sunderland Twitter account posted on Friday afternoon: ‘Thank you for the memories and good luck, Catts!’
Cattermole never played for England, but did make 16 appearances for the Three Lions’ Under-21 side.
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