GILLINGHAM defender Mark Patterson has retired from football after failing to recover from a long-standing knee injury, it has been revealed.

Patterson, 34, who has been in professional soccer for 16 years, played his last game for Gillingham on August 31 in the 2-0 defeat against Leicester but aggravated his right knee in a collision with Danny Spiller during training later that week. He made just three appearances in the first team this season.

He tried to make a comeback for the reserves against Bristol Rovers on October 16 but broke down at that was the last time Patterson pulled on the club's blue shirt.

The popular defender has admitted that his knee was no longer able to withstand the rigours of thee professional game.

He said: "I could play or I could train, it was like that. But to train and play at First Division standard, or to be available for First Division selection, you need to be fit and be training twice a week and I wouldn't be fit enough."