PHIL Gilchrist's 17-year career as a professional footballer officially came to an end yesterday when he announced his retirement.

Persistent knee trouble brought the Oxford United defender's playing days to a conclusion before the 34-year-old had really wanted.

But Gilly, as he is known, said he wasn't looking upon it as having to admit defeat because of injury. Rather as a new chapter because he is looking to go into coaching and eventually into management.

That coaching will not be at Oxford, however.

The club and he have reached agreement to end his contract, which was due to expire at the end of the season, and because the youth team - for which there might have been a vacancy - requires anyone taking them to have the relevant coaching qualifications, Gilly is instead "going back to school" to learn coaching properly, and to achieve the licences he needs.

He already has the basic C licence, but will be working over the next few years towards the UEFA A licence that he will need to become a coach or manager.

Gilchrist was brought back to the club by Jim Smith in the summer of 2006, having enjoyed a successful four-year stint at the Manor Ground in the late 90s, when he helped United to promotion by forming one of the best-ever central defensive partnerships with Matt Elliott.

After spells at Leicester and West Brom in the Premiership, Gilchrist dropped down to play for Rotherham, before Smith brought him back to the club as his first - and biggest - signing in preparation for the 2006/7 season.

And it proved a great signing as Gilly helped United to the top of the table, and it was no co-incidence that their poor run after Christmas coincided with when Gilchrist started to experience injury problems.

However, the announcement of his retirement was widely expected.

Despite undergoing knee surgery last summer, things never seemed right.

He had a late start to this season, making his first appearance in the 3-3 draw at home to Torquay on October 11 when he struggled, and understandably tired, and he hasn't played since the nightmare 5-0 defeat at Rushden on November 1.

Manager Darren Patterson said Gilchrist would be a big loss to the club, and having suffered a similar knee injury-enforced early retirement, he knew exactly what he was going through.

"It's a very sad day for Gilly and his family," said Patterson.

"Having been there myself, a few years ago now, it's a horrible feeling.

"He's had a great career and is obviously sorry to pack it up.

"The club are here to support him. We've gone down routes to see about getting him involved with the coaching side of it, but with the youth side you need to be double qualified now and we can't legally do that.

"Gilly now needs to go away and I believe he wants to go into coaching and do his badges. The club are here to support him and we're always here.

"Whether he wants to go coaching, or whatever he wants to do, the club will always be behind him."

Reflecting on the Stockton-born defender's attempts to come back, the U's boss said: "He's worked his socks off pre-season to try to get fit, but his knee hasn't held up and it's been massively disappointing for him, and for everyone else.

"Experienced players like Gilly are hard to replace."

Releasing a big wage-earner will help Patterson to bring someone else in during the transfer window in January, but with gates still disappointing, there will not be much cash for him to spend.

"It doesn't help me out a massive amount," he admitted. "It's not going to buy me two or three players, if that's what everybody's thinking.

"The money's extremely tight and we've got to wheel and deal and be clever in how we do things."