The legendary player of “Sheffield United” Billy Sharp announced that he left football at the age of 40.
During his 22-year professional career, Sharp, who played for Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Hull City, Scunthorpe United, Reading, Doncaster Rovers and Rushden & Diamonds, scored 299 goals.
He was a free agent after leaving Doncaster at the end of last season, scoring a hat-trick in his final game against Peterborough.
“I’ll hang up my boots. I’ve had a good run at it. I’ve got a long way to go, I’m 40,” Sharp told Sky Sports.
“I wanted to go out on my own terms. I’ve seen a lot of my friends get taken away because of injuries and things like that.
“I wanted to perform and fortunately I scored a hat-trick in my last performance.
“Maybe I’m not the most talented player, maybe I’m not the most liked player on the pitch, but that’s why I love football. I’m passionate and I think I’ve achieved every part of my career.
“Football gave me memories that will last a lifetime.”
A childhood Blades supporter, Sharp made his Championship debut on the bench against Watford in November 2004.
He captained the club and was a key figure in three promotion-winning campaigns – League One in 2017 and the Championship in 2019 and 2023.
In three games with Sheffield United, Sharp scored 129 goals for the club and became a Blades icon.
He was also part of the Southampton team that won promotion to the Premier League in 2012.
He enjoyed a brief stint in MLS with LA Galaxy in 2023, after which many thought he would retire – but the ageless Sharp returned to his native Yorkshire to extend his career, first with Hull and then Doncaster Rovers.
Sharp scored a dramatic late winner against Bradford City to clinch promotion to League One for Rovers in 2025 before a spectacular end to last season, which means he scored EFL hat-tricks in his juniors, 20s, 30s and 40s. He scored his fourth goal against Peterborough, which would have taken him to 300 career goals, but it was ruled out for offside.
“It would have been nice to score 300 goals that day, but I’ve had an incredible career,” he said.
Sharp has joined the Baller League side N5, led by former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, to play six-a-side football, but he also has an eye on management, complementing his coaching credentials.