Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has announced his retirement from football, according to the
Independent. The Bulgarian was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in March 2012 but is now in remission having finished his first year of treatment. However, in a statement
released on the clubs website, the midfielder explained:
Ive never been a person for making grand statements. Ive only ever got on with my job, while remaining grateful to have great team-mates, great people around me and, most of all, a fantastic family. They have been powerful pillars of support when I have needed them most over the past year. To my wife, Paulina, and my sons, Kristiyan and Stiliyan, I love you very much and I will always for your constant love and support. Also to my mum and dad, my brother and Paulinas mum and the people who have been closest to me throughout this time you know who you are and I love you all. Each and every day I thank God for giving me the opportunity to still be with my family. Football has been the other great love of my life, so it is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my retirement from the game. The emotions are overwhelming really, but the continued support of family, friends and the great people I have come to know will make it easier for me to move on from the only life Ive ever known.
Petrov began his playing career at Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia in 1996, where he made 43 appearances before leaving for Celtic in 1999. He would spend seven years at Celtic Park, making over 200 appearances for the Hoops and scoring 55 goals. He was named Celtic Player of The Year in 2005 and won the Scottish Premier League 4 times. He would later move to Aston Villa in 2006 in a deal worth £6.5 million, and became the clubs captain in the summer of 2009 following the retirement of Martin Laursen. A popular player both on the pitch and off it, throughout this season Villa supporters have stood from their seats to give the player a hair-raising round of applause in the 19th minute in reference to his squad number. And fans are now planning to turn their final match of the season into a huge Stiliyan Petrov day, while Petrov will lead out his team-mates and their families for the traditional lap of appreciation at the end of Villas final home game of the season against Chelsea on Saturday.