Last updated at 16:26, Thursday, 10 March 2011

Carlisle United left-back Sean McDaid has been forced to retire at 25 due to a knee injury.

Sean McDaid

The Blues released a statement on the defender’s behalf to say the serious injury he suffered during the 2-1 defeat at Exeter in October had forced him to hang up his boots.

McDaid has spent the last five months undergoing rehabilitation on the injury but has been forced to admit defeat in his bid to save his career.

“Obviously I am devastated because I was really starting to enjoy my football here,” said McDaid.

“It’s a new and complicated injury to the knee and that’s why the medical staff have advised that I should retire from the professional game immediately.

“There are so many people that I would like to thank for the way they have helped me and supported me since I came to the club and I would like to do that after I have had a bit of time to come to terms with the news.”

McDaid joined United last summer following his release by Doncaster, after fighting his way back from a previous long-term knee problem.

The former Scotland Under-19 international started the first 14 games of the season for Greg Abbott’s side but the Exeter game on October 16 was his last as a professional.

Abbott revealed later that month that the Harrogate-born player was battling to salvage his career. McDaid came through the youth system at Leeds before moving in 2005 to Doncaster, where he spent five seasons.

• Central defender Danny Livesey has been ruled out for up two weeks with a hamstring tear. Livesey, 26, pulled up during the warm-up ahead of the game against Hartlepool on Tuesday night.

First published at 16:22, Thursday, 10 March 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk