Darius Charles: AFC Wimbledon defender announces retirement
- Published
Darius Charles helped AFC Wimbledon win promotion to League One during his first spell at the club
AFC Wimbledon defender Darius Charles has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34.
The former Wycombe Wanderers centre-back began his career at Brentford in 2004 before spells at Ebbsfleet, Stevenage and Burton Albion.
Charles was released by Wycombe after suffering a labral tear in his hip in 2018 and was told to retire by doctors.
But he regained his fitness and re-signed for the club, helping them win promotion to the Championship.
Charles' hip injury was similar to the one suffered by British tennis player Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2017.
In 2020 he said he had been playing through the pain of arthritis in his hip, and had suffered from anxiety as a result.
He failed to make a league appearance for Wimbledon after rejoining last summer, though was briefly placed in temporary charge of the club after the departure of head coach Mark Robinson last month.