By Jake Sanders
STEVE Morison has announced his retirement from football and has joined former side Northampton Town as their Professional Development Phase assistant coach.
The 36-year-old left Millwall in the summer and signed for Shrewsbury Town on a season-long loan deal before making it permanent less than two months later.
Morison, who has been doing his coaching badges over the past few seasons, failed to score in eight appearances for the Shrews – with the last of those coming in their 1-1 draw at AFC Wimbledon on 14 September – but finishes with an outstanding record of 248 goals in 662 appearances having played for Northampton, Bishop’s Stortford, Stevenage Borough, Norwich City, Millwall and Leeds United during a 18-year career.
Speaking to Shrewsbury’s official website, Morison said: “I’ve spent an amazing two decades as a professional footballer and have so many wonderful memories, but I feel the time is right to move on to the next stage of my career – and I couldn’t be more excited.
“I learned so much while playing for my country and some great clubs, alongside and under so many fantastic players and managers, that I can’t wait to put it all into practice as a manager and coach in my own right.
“Coaching at Northampton, the club I started at as an 18-year-old and continue to live nearby, is going back to where it all started for me as a player.
“As such it feels like a good place for me to start my coaching career and hopefully that can follow a similar path to the top as I experienced while playing. It was an offer I couldn’t turn down.”