STEWART Hadley admitted quitting football was one of he toughest decisions of his life but the right one.

The 29-year-old striker arrived at St George's Lane in December 2001 and during a scintillating two-month spell was outstanding for City alongside Adam Webster.

He galvanized a stuttering side and many felt that, with the right signings alongside him, Hadley would spearhead a title challenge the following year.

However an Achilles injury put paid to those dreams and the seven months Hadley spent sidelined ultimately hastened his departure from the game at a cruelly tender age.

"It was a tough decision but it's for the best," said Hadley.

"I enjoy playing football but in the games I was playing, especially this season, it just wasn't there.

"I'd had a chat with John Barton at the end of the season about getting really fit again over the summer and coming back and performing well but it was hard to do."

"The injury was a really big blow and put a dampener on the whole of last season," he added.

"I wasted four months initially before finally having surgery and then it was still really sore at the end of last season."

"I came down to this level thinking I could do it but it's a huge change from training seven days a week, which is what I was used to, to just twice a week.

"When I first came I was super fit and thought playing at this level was easy but with the injuy and just training twice a week it affected me more than I thought it would.

"The injury took the gloss of the whole thing. It took its toll when I came back and I've never really got the fitness back. The sharpness wasn't there as far as running was concerned.

"I don't know if it's because the Achilles is a big part of pushing off when you run but it was stiff and I couldn't sprint how I'd been able to before."

Retiring from football won't affect Hadley's property developing business but it will give him more time to spend with his young son and also enjoy a few weekends away.

"That's something I've haven't been able to do since I left school but I still plan to pop along and watch City from time to time if they'll give me a ticket that is," he added.

Hadley made his name at Mansfield Town, scoring 30 goals in 101 appearances and was part of the team that knocked Leeds United out of the Coca Cola Cup.

A move to Kidderminster Harriers followed where he was an integral part of their 2000 Nationwide Conference winning side and made 79 appearances scoring 22 goals including the first ever Harriers goal in the Football League.

That goal earned Hadley lasting fame as probably the first and last Harriers player to have his face put on a stamp but football fan will remember him more for his contribution on the pitch.