Stoke City defender Andy Wilkinson has announced that he will retire from professional football after spending a year trying to make a comeback from a concussion.
Wilkinson announced that he will be retiring after suffering a concussion last year for Stoke City in an FA Cup match against Blackburn, according to Sky Sports. He said that he has not fully recovered from the injury and continues to suffer symptoms from the concussion. Wilkinson told Sky Sports that he has dealt with "vertigo, nausea, balance problems," which keeps him from playing at his "normal" level.
The defender is retiring at the age of 31 after making 194 appearances for Stoke City during his career. Wilkinson originally suffered the head injury on Feb. 14 last year, and he has not appeared in a game for the team since that time. Stoke was at first planning to release Wilkinson from his contract after last season, but the team signed him back on a six-month deal. Wilkinson was not able to recover and play for the team during that time.
Wilkinson told Sky that "over a year on from the injury, there's still a lot going on," including issues with his mental health and depression. He told the broadcaster that he has traveled to the U.S. to receive treatment, and he had praise for how the country deals with concussions. "I've seen the technology over there which they have going into the sports," Wilkinson said.
Stoke City had been hoping that Wilkinson could return this season, as the club is battling for a top 10 finish in the Premier League. The team is currently in the 10th position on the league table, leading Everton by one point.
For more on Wilkinson, click here.
