Return of knee injury forces Stubbs into retirement

(GETTY IMAGES)

The Derby County defender Alan Stubbs has been forced to retire following a recurrence of a troublesome knee injury. The 36-year-old made the decision after scans revealed a return of the problem that prematurely ended his campaign in April last season and saw him undergo surgery. Stubbs was forced off on the opening day of the Championship season against Doncaster.

The County chairman Adam Pearson paid tribute to the experienced centre-half, saying: "It is a blow because Alan Stubbs is not just a great player and organiser, he is also a fantastic leader and a great human being. The way he has handled himself over this injury and being forced to call it a day is testament to the kind of person he is."

Stubbs, who moved to Pride Park in January on an 18-month deal, began his career at Bolton in 1990 and also played for Celtic, Everton, where he had two spells, and Sunderland. He made 596 career appearances and scored 27 goals.

The club's manager Paul Jewell has confirmed that the Lens midfielder Julian Sable is having a trial at the club.

The 27-year-old Frenchman is vastly experienced, having played more than 300 times for his former club St Etienne during a 10-year spell at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard. He featured as Derby beat Leicester 3-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the club's Moor Farm training facility on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, in the Premier League, the Wigan Athletic manager Steve Bruce maintained yesterday that he has no interest in signing the former Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr – and has also denied that Michael Brown may be leaving the JJB Stadium.

Carr, 31, is available after being released by the Magpies at the end of last season. But Bruce said of the Irishman: "I don't know where the Carr story has come from; I can categorically say no to that one.

"I keep hearing the Brown rumour, but there's nothing in it. In fact, I don't see us doing anything before the transfer window shuts. We need a good squad, and I've only got three central midfield players."