Injury forces Scott Severin to end his playing days at 33

SCOTT Severin, the Dundee United defender, has been forced to retire from the game though injury.

The 33-year-old former Hearts and Aberdeen player, who suffered a triple leg break in a match against St Mirren last August, announced the decision before yesterday’s 2-1 win against Rangers at Tannadice.

“I was down ten to 12 days ago in London and I spoke to the consultant, who said there was just too much damage on my ankle,” Severin, pictured right, explained. “So that’s it, all over. It was hard to take at the time. Me and the [Dundee United] physio kind of knew that might be the case, but we wanted a second opinion.

“In later years, I would probably have been a cripple, so you just have to look ahead with your family. I am just disappointed that I only managed to play 18 games for Dundee United. It is coming up for two years and I was injured quite a lot.”

Severin, who was capped 15 times for Scotland, now plans to pursue a career in coaching, with the help of United’s backroom staff. “I’ve spoken to the manager and he’s allowing me to help out with the training and I’m currently doing my coaching badges as well. I’ve just to look to the future now and hopefully it will still be in football.”

Peter Houston, the United manager, said that it cast a shadow over yesterday’s match. “It is a huge dampener for me personally because I have known Scott since I was his youth coach at Hearts. He was captain of my youth team that won the BP Cup in 1998.

“At first he was pretty low and sad, but we have given him some coaching to do, we are trying to help him get used to talking in front of a group, and he has enjoyed that.

“We have seen the smile coming back to his face although deep down there must be disappointment that he has had to give up. I am gutted for him and his family.”