Clyde forced to end career

The former Northern Ireland international, who has battled injuries for two years, has retired after suffering a catalogue of injuries related to reactive arthritis.

Doctors had warned him he would suffer pain if he played on - and warned him he was unlikely to ever get back to full fitness. The 24-year-old is now planning a new career in landscape gardening.

Evans - who spotted the young Clyde playing youth football in Derry - thinks it is a real blow for the club."It really is a tragedy - both for Mark and his family and for Wolverhampton Wanderers. He hasn't been able to play as much as he wanted for the last two years, but he is a very talented player.

"He gained full international honours and it is a crying shame that he will not fulfil his terrific potential."

Evans paid tribute to a "model professional".

"He was an dedicated and committed professional during his time at Wolves and it is such a shame that he won't be able to build on such a promising start.

"He is very popular and was a credit to the academy and to the club."

Clyde said he felt he had no option but to quit.

"I've come to the decision that enough is enough," he said.

"This has been going on now for more than two years. I talked it through with the club's physio and the doctor and they were on the same wavelength. It's not going to go away if I carry on.

"But if I quit, and stop training every day, then there's a chance that I'll not be as aware of the symptoms."

The defender, who made the last of his 47 appearances against Preston in August, added: "I'm not doing anyone any favours by coming in every day and lying on a bed in the treatment room.

"I want to feel like I'm earning a living - that's the way I've been brought up.

"It's annoying that I have to pack up at my age, but it's not the end of the world."