FORMER Worcester City striker Mark Owen has retired from football.

The 32-year-old spent seven years at St George’s Lane, scoring more than 100 goals and cementing himself as a crowd favourite at the club.

After beginning his career as a Wolves trainee, he had spells with Evesham United, Stourport Swifts and Bromsgrove Rovers, who he last played for in December before a hernia operation.

He has now decided to call it a day to focus on his job after being appointed as head of the football academy at Worcester College of Technology, taking over from Ray Woods after he parted company with the Deansway centre.

Owen, whose time at City was blighted by a broken leg sustained against St Blazey in October 2001, said: “I could have carried on playing until the end of the season but, because the academy is looking to start Saturday football again next season, I thought I would make the decision now rather than later.

“I feel it’s the right time to go out and I have got no regrets.”

He added: “Starting with Wolves and having a good seven years at Worcester would be the highlights.”

Owen left City for Moor Green in January 2005 but made a surprise return from Evesham on the eve of the 2008/09 campaign to bolster then-manager Richard Dryden’s attacking options.

However, the move did not work out and he returned to Evesham just six games later.

He then took a coaching role at Swifts before a move to link up with former team-mate John Snape at Rovers.