Playing days over for Rotherham United legend Richard Wood

The 39-year-old, who spent nine years with the Millers, winning three League One promotions and Papa Johns Trophy silverware, announced this afternoon that he is hanging up his boots after well over 650 games over a 23-year period.

He has spent the last two seasons with Doncaster Rovers and has just picked up a League Two champions medal with Rotherham's South Yorkshire neighbours.

An ankle injury has thwarted the centre-half’s ambition to play into his 40s and the likelihood is that he will look to stay in the game and move into coaching.

Two-hundred-fifty-six of his outings came in a Rotherham shirt.

“It has been a fairy tale,” he posted on his X account. “I'm lost for words to explain how privileged I feel to have enjoyed the career that I have. 667 appearances for eight different clubs – no wonder I'm creaking!

“Make no mistake, I am writing this to thank each and every supporter for every ounce of applause they have given me.”

Wood began his career with Sheffield Wednesday and had spells with Coventry City and Charlton Athletic before joining the Millers in 2014 during the first managerial reign of Steve Evans.

He went on to become club captain under Paul Warne and one of his three promotions included the one famously sealed at Wembley in 2018 when his two goals saw off Shrewsbury Town in the play-off final.

Among his other achievements was helping Rotherham secure Championship survival in the days of Matt Taylor in 2022.

Injuries restricted his appearances for Doncaster and he played 30 times for them last term when they reached the fourth-tier play-offs and eight times this season as they topped the division.

He also had loan spells at Crawley Town, Fleetwood Town and Chesterfield.

He is already working towards his UEFA A Licence coaching qualification.