Sean Winter hopes he's remembered as an East Kilbride legend, after retiring from the sport at 34.
However the way in which he left Ok-Park, 11 targets shy of 100 at Lowland League degree, nonetheless leaves a bitter style for the striker.
Winter says a mix of labor commitments, household life and “his physique not doing what he desires to” means the time is true.
The ex-Stranraer star stated: “Retiring is one thing I’d been interested by for a few years, and never one thing I took flippantly.
“A giant factor for me was my health. You’re arising towards these younger boys who're match and might run all day, and I didn’t really feel that I used to be performing to the degrees that I do know I can, and it was irritating.
“My thoughts wished to do issues that my physique couldn’t do any extra, and I simply felt the time was proper. I've a spouse and two youngsters who're at an age the place I actually wish to be beginning to spend as a lot time with them as I can.
“At my work as effectively, I’m a supervisor at Arnold Clark, my duty within the final couple of years has gone up 10 instances what it was pre-Covid.
“I simply felt the time was proper. I’m younger sufficient and I’m nonetheless able-bodied sufficient to do a number of issues that I wish to do, away from soccer.”
Winter, who was loyal to the golf equipment he performed with, began out within the Juniors with Ayrshire aspect Arthurlie earlier than stepping as much as senior soccer at Stranraer in 2010. He spent 5 years at Stair Park earlier than a transfer to the Lowland League beckoned in 2015.
Throughout a six-year stint together with his hometown membership, Winter helped the membership to 2 Lowland League title, scored within the important win over Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale that earned their well-known Scottish Cup conflict with Celtic - a recreation he missed himself because of a household vacation in Australia - and gained seven cup competitions.
As his time at Ok-Park neared its finish, a mortgage transfer to West of Scotland League aspect St Anthony's got here throughout the pandemic in 2020. A number of appearances adopted earlier than his EK exit was confirmed together with his ultimate season coming at Cumbernauld Colts.
Winter spent six years at EK, taking part in underneath six completely different managers. However his time got here to an finish underneath Stevie Aitken.
Usually, he scored in a 2-0 win for Colts towards Kilby in his first match towards his previous aspect in September 2021.
However he hopes he has a long-lasting legacy at Ok-Park.
He added: “I hope I’m remembered as a legend at East Kilbride.
“Once I first sat down with the house owners and I had left Stranraer – I used to be solely 26, happening 27 and had provides to remain in League One or League Two – I actually purchased into the entire thought of getting East Kilbride up.
“All people mistook us for EK Thistle, we didn’t have a transparent id, however we obtained a run within the Scottish Cup and ended up getting Celtic, which introduced in huge quantities of cash for the membership and positively put us on the map.
“I actually suppose I helped give the membership their id.
“Myself and [ex-captain] Barry Russell took the danger, and if I’m 100 per cent sincere, I don’t suppose EK can be in the identical place that they're simply now, attracting the gamers that they’ve attracted, if we didn’t.
“I feel I left my mark, I feel I’m nonetheless their file goal-scorer, and might look again with satisfaction.
“However the way in which it completed at EK... I didn’t wish to go away, however felt that I used to be sort of edged out a wee bit, and didn’t actually get a good crack of the whip.
“I used to be determined to get 100 targets for East Kilbride. I may in all probability have retired then.
“Within the first 4 seasons I had racked up about 80 targets, in my second-last season I obtained 9, and if I had managed extra game-time I feel I'd have completed it.
“I wished a full season at Cumbernauld Colts to point out that I’ve nonetheless obtained one thing to supply, to point out that I wasn’t on my manner out.”
Observe Lanarkshire Stay Sport onTwitter through@LanLiveSport, like us onFbor discover us onInstagramfor the newest sports activities information, footage and video.