Winding down is hard to swallow even at my age!

ALAN BENNETT has opened up on the anguish of playing a reduced role in the twilight of his career, conceding: “It will never sit easy with me”.

But the Cork City stalwart and twicecapped Irish international, 37, will fight the good fight for another year after confirming his intention to play on next season.

Bennett knew this moment of reflection was coming down the tracks, but watching his 18-year career enter its final throes is tougher than he ever envisaged.

It is a regular talking point when he picks up the phone to club legend Declan Daly, for instance.

Daly was the senior figurehead in the Rebels dressing room when Bennett was first breaking through, so he knows the score.

The pair are good pals and Daly has been a valuable sounding board this week in particular, even though an FAI Cup final start is on the cards for Bennett.

“He said to play as long as you can and leave with no regrets and regarding a reduced role, it’s just something I have to accept and understand,” said Bennett.

“I have to get my head around it. It wasn’t easy sitting on the bench sometimes, it wasn’t easy sitting in the stand but it’s something that I’m going to have to get used to.

“I was a bit naive about how easy it would be to accept it.”

Bennett has made just 12 league appearances this season as Sean Mcloughlin has impressed at centreback while Damien Delaney was signed from Crystal Palace.

And as Bennett admits, any Irish club presented with the opportunity to sign a Premier League player has to follow through with it.

He also knows that John Caulfield was never going to pair two 37-year-olds – who were team-mates at Cork way back when – in the same starting XI.

“I don’t think it will ever sit easy with me,” said Bennett on dealing with the long goodbye to his playing days.

“I don’t think you can sit games out and be happy. It was a bit of a crunch for me this year but it’s inevitable.

“That’s the worst thing about this job – you’re really comfortable with your game as a person but your body is deteriorating.”

Battle hardened after eight years in England, Bennett added: “I’ve watched a lot of players retiring over the years.

“I understand how fortunate I am to get up every Monday morning and come in to work absolutely delighted.

“It’s something I want to continue on with and for those reasons alone, selfish as they are, I want to continue next year.”

While Bennett feels he could have played more this season, he does not hold it against Caulfield for restricting his appearances.

“He had to do what he had to do,” he added. “If I’d been in his position I’d have done the same thing.

“Do I wish I’d played more games? Absolutely. Did I feel as though I could have played more games? Probably.”