There was a bit of a shift in the public perception after he suffered a few personal losses. His brother was killed, and his father passed shortly after. He did a lot of charity in working class areas, too.
I like Defoe, despite his feasting on my second favourite LFC player of all time (considering my favourite LFC player of all time, I don’t have much room to complain).
Enjoy it, Jermain. 
No, I agree. I personally thought the reaction to his transfer request was insane, and the clubs confrontational stance at forcing him to stay and go down to the championship with them when he was clearly a premier league quality already was shitty.
So I assumed he had retired years ago. Well done to him for keeping it going.
Decent player, did well to have such a long career. Not sure this warranted it’s own thread, but hey ho.
Yeah Scottish football still hasn’t got one 
Think we can use this thread with a title change.
Maybe it should include the posters that disappear from here lfti 
When I read that this morn, I thought @The-AllMightyReds was insisting on a Matuidi retirement thread. This makes more sense.
Would be pretty short wouldn’t it? Would’ve started and ended with German Red announcing the news.
We’ve got the RIP thread for that. 
I think we should change this thread into one about us retiring and our experiences of retirement.
I’m a bit young to retire, but we have come down to Australia for six months and the work I had lined up for Spring has fallen through, so I am, effectively, retired.
It’s a strange feeling and I don’t know if I’m ready for it, but actively getting back into hassling for work doesn’t really appeal either.
I do realise how incredibly lucky I am to be able to choose my path at this stage of my life.
Congratulations! I guess the main question is, will you be able to keep yourself busy? I’ve always been told that you should have a plan when you retire otherwise the disconnect between work and no work can be too jarring - weirdly…
p.s. I’ll be 48 towards the end of the year and I hope to stop in 10 or so years time… It’s not that I’ll be rolling in it by then but I don’t want to end up like so many of my relatives that worked into their mid to late 60s and when retirement came (as opposed to taking it) they were spent - physically and mentally.
I am retired a couple of years, having worked over thirty years in healthcare. Few things you need to be sure of.
Finances: Be confident that your pension covers what you want to do with your life. If you have a lump sum maybe invest a section of it. Maybe take some financial advice, look at outgoings on a monthly basis and see if you can manage without too much compromise.
Time: You need to find stuff to enjoy.
Home projects are all fine, but don’t confine yourself to this or you will get bored. The whole “charity work” thing is overplayed. I always did a bit of charity stuff so I just continued. I never liked golf, so that isn’t a factor.
I try to balance time into selfish time and time fir others. Time of your life to be a bit selfish if you can.
People: The whole meet for coffee with former workmates fades out. Don’t be dissapointed, thats the nature of things. They are busy, you should be as well. If you have mates who walk, or cycle together then team up. Have purpose.
This is a great time, never be bored.
Even assuming that this thread has been repurposed , why is it still in the football forum ?
Topic has now moved into the Away End section.
At some stage in the next few months I am going to finish work. I am well past normal retirement age but have been doing part time consultancy work (2-3 days a week) for the last 7-8 years. If I am honest I am scared. I can’t get it out of my head that I might rapidly deteriorate mentally. I have seen it happen to a couple of mates. Also I realise I will have to finally accept that I have entered the last phase of my life.
I am not a golfer, unlike a lot of my male friends, but I do a lot of fell walking. I try to get out to the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District or Peak District a couple of times a month and I lead walks for groups.
Also my two grandchildren are in France so I will no doubt spend a bit more time over there.
But yes, definitely feeling very anxious about it… 
I’d say keep up your personal interests, and keep at them with the rigour that you’d do with what you were doing professionally prior to that.
As long as you keep engaging your brain and exercising, there’s no reason for you to rapidly deteriorate mentally, except perhaps if you don’t get the same amount of social stimulation you would otherwise get at work.
Since the 1980s I have always worked mainly from home and certainly exclusively so for the last 10 years so the social stimulation is not really a factor. I work on websites so it tends to be a solitary experience anyway. I have never had a problem with that aspect as I quite like my own company.
Mester wilkored08 took early retirement 2 months after me…what with a touring caravan, walking(like yourself), gardens and his little workshop…he often wonders how he worked full time and fitted in all his interests…I’m sure in time you’ll feel the same…look forward to it…
And…bit peeved here…but today is 2yrs and 364 days till I get my government pension…so thats no help from any DWP/Government dept at all, u watch…within those 2yrs something will happen and pensions will disappear or be given on points…1st question will be…do u really need this money…we wait in anticipation…