Darren Wrack announces retirement

Former Walsall favourite Darren Wrack has announced his retirement from football and is planning to pursue a career in scouting.

The 34-year-old left his final club, Stafford Rangers, over the festive season with his last appearance coming in the Staffordshire Senior Cup at Market Drayton Town on December 15.

Wrack now can now play full-time football again, which was a clause of Kettering cancelling his contract outside of the transfer window in September, enabling him to join semi-professional outfit Rangers later that month.

But a three-game suspension and a series of call-offs due to the weather saw him just make seven appearances for the Blue Square North club.

His decision to call time on his playing career has been mainly influenced by a desire to move into scouting, which requires him to work match days.

It's only a part-time job at present but Wrack is hoping to work his way up the ladder until it becomes his main occupation.

He said: "I have decided to hang my boots up, it's not something I have done hastily and I have thought a lot about it.

"I am doing a little of scouting that could become a bit more permanent, there's more potential there long-term than playing for Stafford or having another year or so full-time, so I have had to make a decision.

"Not playing anymore is going to be difficult but it's a clean slate for me."

Wrack calls it a day having made nearly 400 appearances in the Football League, 336 of those for Walsall over a decade between 1998 and 2008, signing from Grimsby after starting his career at Derby County.

Retirement also comes after conquering a gambling addiction that he claims lost him £700,000, the consequences of which are still being felt today.

But the family man to wife Lisa and 18-month-old daughter Macey has left that behind and is planning for the future.

He said: "My past has been well-documented, but I have been two-and-a-half years now without a bet now and that mentality is not inside me anymore.

"Life is all about ifs and buts, it was something that happened and I have learned a harsh lesson in life.

"I will probably be free of debt in another two years, if I keep on earning."