Van der Sar to hang up his gloves

27 January 2011 09:30
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will retire from football at the end of the season. The 40-year-old former Holland international moved to Old Trafford from Fulham in 2005 and has helped the Red Devils to three Premier League titles, as well as Champions League glory in 2008. Quoted on the website of his management agency, www.sport-promotion.nl, he said: "It is now time to pay attention to my family." Van der Sar says he has been contemplating hanging up his boots since his wife Annemarie collapsed with a brain haemorrhage in December 2009. "I cannot really identify a time when it (the decision) happened," said the former Ajax man. "Let's just say that it was playing on my mind from the moment Annemarie had her stroke. "She has fought back from it. We decided on another year in England and thus to stay at Manchester United. But, once engaged in the season, the thought of saying goodbye started to gnaw a bit more emphatically."

Source: PA