Jess calls end to 600-match career after catching coaching bug

The 36-year-old has cancelled his contract with Northampton Town after having been left out of the side in recent weeks. He now hopes to gain some coaching experience with Nottingham Forest, in the city where he lives. Jess recently began his B coaching licence at Stirling University and Colin Calderwood, the Forest manager, is a former Scotland team-mate.

Indeed, his last game in senior football came in February at Nottingham Forest, one of his many former clubs. It is with Aberdeen where Jess made his name, however, and where he returned in 1997 for a second stint in Scottish football after a brief stay with Coventry City. Gordon Strachan, the present Celtic manager, elected to sell him back to Aberdeen, but confessed his misgivings at the time.

"He has more talent than 80 per cent of the players in the Premiership, but there's an X-factor with Eoin," he said. Although Jess made 18 appearances for Scotland a notion of unfulfilled potential has always dogged a player recognised as one of the brightest talents in the country in the early Nineties.

But Jess yesterday expressed satisfaction at the way his career progressed and only regrets he didn't have the chance to appreciate he was playing his last match when coming on as a substitute against Forest at the City Ground in February. His last start for Northampton came a week earlier in a 2-1 defeat, when he was replaced at half-time.

Stuart Gray, the new Northampton manager, made it clear that Jess was not in his long-term plans, and rather than wait until the end of the season the Scot decided to call it a day immediately. The club and Jess came to an agreement this week and he spent his last day at Sixfields Stadium on Monday. Suddenly a career which had ignited so promisingly at Pittodrie nearly 20 years ago was over.

"My contract was up in the summer anyway so it was just a matter of being released," he said. "There's no bitterness, not at all. The manager has made a decision and I've got to respect that. I suppose I'm disappointed with the way it's panned out, but I've been in the game long enough and I'm old enough to handle it. You never say never and obviously I'd have to look at what offers came up."

While he believes he could still play for another two years Jess has caught the coaching bug. He plans to spend the next few weeks at the Nottingham Forest youth academy before assessing his options in the summer. He does not rule out a return to Scotland.

"I have had a good 20 year playing career," said Jess, who began as an S-form signing with Rangers. "I made 600 plus appearances and covered a few miles. Calling it a day has been in my mind for a while, and perhaps it's happened a bit sooner than I expected.

"But if I can get a coaching position then that is what I want to focus on."

Jess has played under a variety of different managers since being handed his debut by Alex Smith for Aberdeen in May 1989. He is particularly proud of his international record together with three winners' medals collected with Aberdeen, his local side. These all came in his first period with the club, with Jess to the fore as the Pittodrie side won the League Cup in 1989 and 1995, and the Scottish Cup in 1990.

"You have to look back and think about what you have won when you reflect on your career," he said. "That's why you are in the game - to win things. I was lucky enough to win three medals with Aberdeen, while I also played for my country, which is the ambition of every kid when they say they want to be a footballer."

Jess scored twice for Scotland, against Czech Republic and San Marino. His later years have been spent with Bradford, Nottingham Forest and Northampton, although he added just one strike this season to a career total of 114 goals.

OVER 600 GAMES AT SIX CLUBS

Rangers, 1986-1987

Started out on an S-form at Ibrox

Aberdeen, 1987-1996

Collected three winners' medals

Coventry City, 1996-1997

Made 2 million move to England

Aberdeen, 1997-2001

Second stint at Pittodrie

Bradford City, 2001-2002

Scored three goals in Premiership

Nottingham Forest, 2002-2005

Made 54 league appearances

Northampton Town, 2005-2007

Played last match in February