Marc Albrighton has now officially announced his retirement having been without a club following the end of his Leicester City contract in the summer.
Leicester City swooped to secure Marc Albrighton’s signature for free in 2014 following his release from boyhood club Aston Villa.
Few could have envisaged how well the move would work out, with Albrighton’s Foxes career far beyond surely even his wildest dreams.
What followed the winger’s arrival as a 24-year-old was a decade in which he won the Premier League and the FA Cup, as well as scoring in the Champions League, across 313 appearances for Leicester.
Often under-rated by those outside the club, Albrighton was an understated hero at the King Power and his announcement represents a sad day for those who watched him in a Foxes shirt for ten years.
Marc Albrighton announces retirement months after Leicester City release
Albrighton scored 19 goals and provided 48 assists for Leicester in his time at the club, but his game was about so much more than that.
A tireless runner who always put the needs of the team first, Albrighton is a legend at the Foxes and will always be remembered as a key member of the side that shocked the footballing world by wining the Premier League in 2016.
Having spent the second half last season on loan at West Brom in a bid to play more regularly, Albrighton has now taken the decision to retire aged 34.
Albrighton took to Instagram to announce his retirement in a long and heartfelt message across a series of images with the caption: “Football – Thank you for everything.”
The text that accompanied the images started by saying: “As a footballer, there comes a day when you must hang up your boots and I’ve often wondered how it would feel when my time came.
“Now that this day has arrived, I find myself filled with gratitude and peace.”
Albrighton spoke of the joy that playing over 100 games for boyhood club Aston Villa brought him, before turning his attention to his time at Leicester, saying: “What followed was a decade of extraordinary moments that I could have never imagined in my wildest dreams.
“Ten unforgettable years at Leicester City, winning major trophies, playing and scoring in the Champions League and forming lasting bonds with incredible people at such a special and unique club.”
Then came Albrighton’s message to supporters, as he added: “To the fans at Aston Villa and Leicester City, I am forever grateful for your unwavering support.
“Your passion and dedication made every moment on the pitch that much more special.
“Villa, you embraced me as one of your own, and at Leicester, you created an atmosphere that drove us to achieve the impossible.”
Albrighton’s achievements will be remembered forever at Leicester City
Albrighton featured in every single game when Leicester won the Premier League in the 2015/16 season, scoring twice and providing seven assists.
A throwback of a winger, Albrighton’s work allowed the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy to steal the headlines but no one associated with Leicester underestimated the Villa product’s importance.
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The 34-year-old formed part of a side which achieved something that it is very possible could never happen again as they toppled England’s elite to win the title a year after barely surviving relegation.
A fairytale story, Albrighton will be able to reflect on an incredible career now that he has hung up his boots.