Wales and Swansea midfielder Allen retires

After Saturday’s final game of the championship season, Swansea City and Wales midfielder Joe Allen will retire.

Allen, 35, has chosen to call time on a career that has included almost 600 club appearances and 77 international victories. He is out of contract at Swansea this summer.

He played in three major tournaments and established himself as one of the nation’s top players, making him one of the key players in Wales’ men’s team’s history.

Allen started and ended his professional career at Swansea as a youngster, then went on to play for Stoke City, where he also spent four years at Liverpool and six at Stoke City, and then briefly went on loan at Wrexham as a teenager.

“The timing is right,” he declared. About a month ago, I made the decision and reached 100%. Although I wasn’t sure how things would turn out in the final few weeks, how I would find things, it has actually been a good spell. It’s enjoyable to me.

In their final game of Allen’s career, the Swans take on Oxford United in their championship match.

I’ve had a chance to reflect and absorb everything. What will be my final game on Saturday, he continued, is really looking forward to.

“I’m very proud,” I didn’t anticipate sitting here and playing as many games for the clubs I’ve played there and also for Wales.

I’ve had incredibly good fortune and have been very grateful and thankful to everyone who has assisted me in having these amazing experiences over the past few weeks.

Craig Bellamy, who took over the Pembrokeshire-born player last year, is likely to be disappointed by Allen’s retirement.

In February 2023, after the 2022 World Cup, Allen had decided to end his Welsh career.

Wales’ 64-year wait for the World Cup in Qatar was ended, but Robert Page’s side were disappointed as they lost in the group stage.

Allen returned from a long-term injury layoff in their second group match against Iran, making his debut in Wales’ final game of the competition against England.

As Chris Coleman’s side advanced to the semi-finals of Wales’ first major tournament since 1958, Allen was one of the stars of what proved to be a magical summer.

Allen made his league debut at Swansea as a 16-year-old in 2007 and won his first Wales cap in 2009 after rising through the ranks there.

He assisted Swansea to win the League One title for the first time in his entire career before leading them to the Premier League as the first Welsh club to do so in 2011.

Allen moved to Liverpool in a £15 million deal in 2012 after spending a year with Swansea in the top flight.

He made 132 starts for Liverpool and made the team that almost ended the Reds’ search for a title in 2014 before signing for Stoke for £13 million in 2016.

Allen joined the Potters in more than 200 games after being relegated to the Championship in 2018. He then made the decision to leave when Swansea’s contract expires in 2022.

Allen has since returned to Wales, but he has had a number of injuries, and he has consistently been praised for his influence away from the pitch. He has also remained a significant figure when he is fit.