| Sad Flintoff finally calls time on his injury-plagued career • Former England all-rounder calls time on illustrious career• Full statement: 'The decision to end my career came yesterday'• Interactive: How injuries blighted Flintoff's careerAndrew Flintoff has confirmed his retirement from cricket. Flintoff, now 32, has finally conceded defeat in his battle to recover from the major surgery he had after the 2009 Ashes series."It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket," Flintoff said. " The decision to end my career came yesterday after consultation with medical advisers."I was told that the problems I have been trying to overcome in rehab for the last year following the latest in a series of operations would not recover sufficiently to allow a comeback. Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire."He had initially been hoping to return in the spring, but recently admitted that was always optimistic. Further surgery put back his comeback date until July, and he conceded there would be a further delay several weeks ago.At that stage, he remained hopeful of being fit to play some cricket this winter, floating the possibility of signing up for the Twenty20 Big Bash in Australia in an effort to earn a contract in next year's Indian Premier League.But the explosive all-rounder, one of the most popular in the history of English cricket who will always be best remembered for his performances in the 2005 Ashes triumph, has played his last match.He has at least have gone out in style, helping England to regain the Ashes at the Oval last August. "I would like to thank my family, Lancashire Cricket Club, England, all my sponsors, friends and advisers for all the help and support they have given me throughout my career," said Flintoff. "Last, but by no means least, I am indebted to the encouragement and support I have always received from England's magnificent supporters."I will now be taking a break before deciding which future direction to take."Andrew FlintoffCricketAndy Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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FA shareholders choose not to reform • Just 1% of shareholders support motion to change FA board• England's World Cup bid suffers octopus blowFootball Association shareholders have crushed the chances of any debate about reform at their extraordinary general meeting today.A group of FA councillors, led by the Football Supporters' Federation chairman, Malcolm Clarke, attempted to table a motion discussing the introduction of nonexecutive directors to the FA board. Another motion proposed that one of the non executives be a former player, manager or referee. That would have been a first step towards putting the FA closer in line with the technical expertise on the boards of the Spanish, German and French federations, whose success on the pitch clearly far exceeds ours.Clarke circulated a letter to all 1,120 FA shareholders, needing 5% of their number – or 56 votes – to poll in favour. His two motions respectively received only 12 and 14 votes, or a little over 1%. "I was very disappointed we couldn't even get 5% to enable the topic to be debated," said Clarke, whose dismay was shared by several other FA councillors Digger spoke to.It is a result that ensures progressive measures such as independence on the board cannot even be discussed at today's EGM, still less become a reality. The development further proves the FA's grass roots – the 300-odd member clubs, 114 councillors and the County FAs who hold a stake in the English game – are wedded to Victorian structures that bear no relation to the UK Corporate Governance Code. Clarke's attempt to have the board itself table the motion has also been given short shrift. And so English football's key decisions will continue to be taken solely by men whose interests are vested in County FAs or in club boardrooms, devoid of independent input.Counties in apparent chairman vowOne measure FA shareholders will take at the EGM today is to remove the stipulation, supposed to guarantee independence, that the organisation's new chairman should not have been connected with football for 12 months. There is not much wrong with that but, after the Lord Triesman experience, reactionary councillors want to go one step further. Insiders say that at the council's last meeting on 16 July there was a "groundswell" of support among County FA members for a return to the days when the chair would be appointed from within their own august ranks.Roger Burden, the Football Association's temporary chairman and chair of the Gloucestershire FA, will again be lobbied to put himself forward as the full-time leader of the organisation. He did not respond to Digger's attempts to contact him yesterday to ask whether he will reconsider his previous refusal to remain in post beyond next January. But even if he declines it is conceivable the council will reject every nomination the board suggests until one of their number is in place.Michael Gray seeks the spotlightMichael Gray has got himself an agent, Paul Mace, in an effort to build a media career. Unfortunately for Gray, despite making more than 500 appearances in a 17-year club career north and south of the border and winning three England caps under Kevin Keegan, he is most famous for being the Sunderland left-back whose name Sven-Goran Eriksson did not know. If he is going to make it as a broadcaster, it is to be hoped he can shake the nickname his Sunderland team-mates inevitably then gave him: "Michael Who?"Eight-legged kick in the teeth for EnglandPaul the Octopus is no more. The summer's cephalopod sensation, who correctly predicted that Germany would reach the World Cup semi-final and that Spain would be world champions (perhaps he knew about their federations' board structures) will undoubtedly be much lamented. Not least by England 2018, who will not now be able to bring to bear their only invertebrate ambassador in the final furlongs of the race. And all those jokes about Geoff Thompson can stop right now.The FAMatt Scottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |