Premier League’s record appearance holder, Gareth Barry, retires aged 39

The Premier League’s record appearance holder, Gareth Barry, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 39.

Barry, who played 653 times in the top flight, represented Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and West Bromwich Albion during a career spanning four decades. He scored 53 goals and produced 64 assist sin the Premier League and won 53 caps for England b et ween 2000 and 2012, scoring three goals for his country.

He played his final game in March this year when he started West Brom’ s3-2F AC up defeat by Newcastle at The Hawthorns.

Barry’s career has been more than just a solid one. Villa, where he made his Premier

League de but in May 1998, were a competitive side and playing in Europe during his stint there.

City were spending big money on star players, yet Barry, pictured, was still seen as integral to what they were trying to achieve and he was a member of their title - winning team in 2012, having won the FA Cup with them the previous year.

He also helped Everton reach an FA Cup semi-final in 2016.

But testament to his conditioning, commitment and ability is his longest run of appearances without being a substitute –207 matches between November 2004 and August 2010. Despite this, most football fans acknowledged Barry’ s service to the game, with reliability and consistency often overlooked and understated in the game.

He began as a centre-half or left-back and found his calling as a solid, technically-assured central midfielder, via the left wing.

He finished his career at West Brom, signing for the Baggies in the summer of 2017, and he played six games last season as the club won promotion back to the Premier League.

In total, Barry played 833 senior matches during a career spanning 23 years, scoring 67 goals.