Craig Conway says he ‘couldn’t have given a drop more’ after calling time on his playing career.

Conway has been without a club since leaving St Johnstone last summer, and revealed he had lost his battle with a groin problem as he tried to prolong his career.

But the 36-year-old, a firm favourite with the Rovers supporters during a five-and-a-half year stay at Ewood Park, says he is now looking forward to pastures new after retiring from the game.

He said: “I call time on my playing career, a day that would have come a lot sooner, however I have recently been trying to get fit for an opportunity that came up at the end of last year but it just wasn’t to be, my body has had enough and the groin injury that has plagued me just won’t allow it.

“I’m comfortable with that, I’ve given 110 per cent at every club, game, training session and I couldn’t have given a drop more.

“Football has given me so much, there have been incredible highs and despairing lows, it has taken me to many towns, cities and countries. I’ve met amazing people along the way and some that will be friends for the rest of my life.”

Conway arrived at Rovers in January 2014 and made 199 appearances for the club.

The Scot contributed 22 goals and 41 assists from the wing and was part of the team promoted from League One in the 2017/18 season.

He also wore the captain’s armband during stages of Rovers spell and was a key member of the squad both on and off the field.

“People always ask “what will you miss most about the game?” The training? The banter in the dressing room? The games? All of these yes, but one thing for me that can’t be matched, is that feeling of scoring a goal, setting up a goal, achieving something as a team, winning promotions, cups or representing my country,” Conway wrote on Instagram.

“They are all I dreamed of as a kid and to live that for the last 20 years has been incredible. I will cherish those memories forever.”

In all, Conway made just shy of 500 career appearances and won seven caps for the Scotland national team.

He started out at Ayr United before moving to Dundee United and then switching south of the border when joining Cardiff City in the summer of 2011.

Rovers was his next destination in January 2014, and upon his release in 2019, he went on to play one season with Salford City and then another with St Johnstone.

However, he says his future now lies away from the game having called time on his footballing career.

He added: “Thanks to my family for their constant support, from my mum and dad back in my younger years and all the sacrifices they went through taking me to training and games and finally to my wife and children for having to sacrifice everything following me to various teams around the country, I genuinely couldn’t have kept going without you.

“These are the things people don’t appreciate.

“I have so many things I want to achieve outside of playing football that I can’t wait to get stuck into now. Onto pastures new.”

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