Cityzen Forever: Fabian Delph Announces Retirement from Football

The transfer was not supposed to happen. Leaving your beloved club where you are captain, the leader on the pitch, and treated as a hero is not easy.

And so Fabian Delph fought hard to stay at Aston Villa. Despite telling reporters in January 2015, amid interest from Manchester City, that he will not leave Villa Park in the summer, he later moved to the Etihad Stadium in what became a transfer saga.

Apparently, the pull of success and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on the biggest stage and win laurels was too strong.

However, at City, the midfielder struggled to nail down a starting shirt and had to reinvent himself under Pep Guardiola to fit into the team.

But that hugely benefited all parties involved as he filled in at left-back, a position the team was struggling with as a result of Benjamin Mendy’s injury problems.

In the process, the Englishman played a crucial role in helping City win the title while securing an unprecedented 100 points in the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.

Delph ended up winning two Premier League titles, in addition to other trophies during his four-year stay at the club. After making 89 appearances for City he joined Everton in the summer of 2019. Injuries hampered his playing time and, after making just 11 appearances last term, he left at the expiration of his contract last summer.

Announcing his retirement as a player, the 32-year-old posted on Instagram: “Today I announce my retirement with nothing but happiness and gratitude for what this beautiful game has given me.

“Massive shout out to my family, friends, players and staff from the amazing clubs I have been fortunate enough to represent as well as the support I have had from the fans.”

The development has drawn widespread appreciation for the player from several quarters, including former teammates and football fans alike.

We at Bitter and Blue wish Fabian the best of the future as he begins the next chapter of his life.