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Archived News from October 2018

ZANDER DIAMOND RETIRES
25th October 2018 14:37


Zander Diamond retires from football
mansfieldtown.net

Defender Zander Diamond has retired from football following a back injury, Mansfield Town can now confirm.

The 33-year-old made over 450 appearances in a career which started at Aberdeen, where he made his senior debut in 2003.

Zander has since played for Oldham, Burton and Northampton, before making the switch to One Call Stadium in July 2017.

After playing 23 games last season, the former Northampton Player-of-the-Season has been sidelined because of a back injury.

In a statement, Zander said: “The time has come to hang up my boots.

“After 17 years in the game, injury has forced me into retirement.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/october/zander-diamond-retires-from-football-after-injury/

“The past six to seven months have been a nightmare and the time has come to accept that I have to give up the game that I have loved every second of.

“I want to really emphasise how much my wife and my daughter have supported and helped me throughout the last few months. They have been difficult personally but they have been my rock!

“I want to thank all the clubs that I have played for.

“I want to especially thank Aberdeen Football Club for giving me the opportunity at a young age to start my journey as a professional footballer.

“Also, I would like to thank Mansfield Town for their help throughout the last few months and wish them every success in the future.

“Finally I just want to thank all my family and friends who have been on this tremendous journey with me throughout my career for their love and support.”

Following a meeting this afternoon at One Call Stadium, chairman John Radford, chief executive Carolyn Radford and manager David Flitcroft personally thanked Zander for his service to Mansfield Town and expressed their well wishes to him and his young family.

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twitter Paul Anderson @P18NDO
Oct 12
Such Sad news about Zander Diamond this afternoon having to retire from football early. Such a great leader and pro but more importantly a great guy. It’s been a pleasure sharing a dressing room with him. Here’s to a new chapter.

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Ex-Mansfield Town skipper Diamond opens up on retirement heartbreak
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 22 October 2018

Former Mansfield Town captain Zander Diamond has spoken candidly about his heartbreaking decision to retire from professional football with injury at the age of 33. Diamond has not played for the Stags this season since two back operations and has now decided to concentrate on looking after his family.

The centre half made over 450 appearances in a career which started at Aberdeen, where he made his senior debut in 2003.

“The decision was based on my my fitness, going forward in my life,” he said.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/ex-mansfield-town-skipper-diamond-opens-up-on-retirement-heartbreak-1-9408231

"I have got a young family at this moment in time and obviously it’s not a decision I have taken lightly. “I have suffered for the last six or seven months with the injury and getting it diagnosed. I have had two epidurals and two operations. “It got to a stage where in my last official game, where we won 1-0 at Chesterfield, I seemed to be fine after the two epidurals.

“But I was sort of playing through the pain barrier from February onwards. “It was tough times but it was always a case you were going to play football.”

However, Diamond’s situation quickly worsened. “After that game I was training as normal and then something just stuck in my back,” he said. “I reported for training on Friday before Port Vale and I couldn’t lift my leg. I thought this is quite serious.

“Twelve hours later we had the paramedics out at the house with the disc on my nerves. That’s when it became a bit more real. I had my child standing over me and I was helpless.

“I was put on heavy dosage of medication and I didn’t feel myself. “I went and had a scan and it said I had a problem with my back.

“That was when it was at its most severe. I couldn’t do anything and I lost a lot of weight as well. “Being a footballer you don’t need that. I am not the biggest guy and I lost three or four kilos.” Diamond’s football career saw him achieve his dream, though that dream is now sadly at an end.

“As I grew up all I wanted to do was play football,” he said. “When you get picked up by football clubs it suddenly becomes that wee bit real.

“I was in a privileged position. I left school and went straight into professional football with Aberdeen and it’s all I’ve known in my life.

“But it’s not just me now. It’s my wife and my child, who have supported me through the dark times. I need to give something back and look after them.

“The support for me from friends and family has been astronomical and I thank them for that.”

Diamond, who also had spells with Oldham, Burton and Northampton, hopes supporters from all his clubs will remember him fondly. “I’d like to be remembered as a player who gave his all, playing through injuries,” he said. “There were a lot of times in my career, as an old school type of player, you play on with knocks and strains. But fans don’t see that.

“But you want to try to perform for the team and you put them first rather than yourself. “I have been a whole-hearted defender who gave his all. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad, but hopefully it was mostly positive.”

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