Ormerod calls it quits

Former Blackpool and Preston North End ace Brett Ormerod has retired from playing.
Brett OrmerodBrett Ormerod
Brett Ormerod

The 39-year-old has called time on a glittering career, which saw him rise from non-league football with Accrington Stanley to grace the Premier League with the Tangerines and Southampton.

Ormerod, who also played in a FA Cup final for the Saints - although they lost to Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in 2003, has spent the past couple of years playing non-league football.

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Last season he turned out for Padiham in the NPL First Division North before joining Bamber Bridge this summer.

Brett OrmerodBrett Ormerod
Brett Ormerod

The ex-Wigan Athletic loanee had played a number of games for Brig this season, but has now decided that the time is right to hang up his boots.

Ormerod said: "At 39 it's time to hang up the boots. A big thanks to family and friends and everyone who has supported me, it's been a crazy ride."

Born in Blackburn and raised in Great Harwood, Ormerod joined boyhood club Rovers after leaving Norden High School.

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He failed to make the grade at Ewood Park and was released in the same year that the club claimed the Premier League title.

Brett OrmerodBrett Ormerod
Brett Ormerod

Stanley handed Ormerod a route back into the game and he proved to be a prolific goalscorer for the club, who at the time were a semi-professional outfit.

It was Blackpool who took a punt on the youngster in 1997 and despite a badly broken leg stunting his progress at Bloomfield Road, Ormerod became a firm crowd favourite.

He scored in the 4-2 play-off final victory over Leyton Orient which sealed the club's return to the third tier of English football in 2001.

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After notching more than 60 goals for the Tangerines in a four-year spell, Southampton offered £1.75m for his services.

He went on to spend five years on the south coast, enjoying a couple of short loan spells at Leeds United and Wigan, during that period.

He returned to his native North West in 2006 when Billy Davies snapped him up on a free transfer for Preston.

His time at Deepdale was blighted by injuries, although he still enjoyed a great rapport with the fans due to his wholehearted attitude.

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After loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Oldham, he left Deepdale in January 2009 and returned for a second spell at Blackpool.

He then went on to enjoy arguably the best period of his career.

With Ian Holloway as manager, the Tangerines famously won promotion to the Premier League.

Ormerod hit the winning goal as Blackpool defeated Cardiff City 3-2 at Wembley in the play-off final in 2010.

The centre forward left Bloomfield Road in the summer of 2012. He later had spells with Rochdale and Wrexham.