Shine’s calling it quits
Glasgow City striker Clare Shine shocked Scottish women’s football yesterday as she announced her decision to retire at the age of just 27.
The Republic of Ireland striker will be part of City’s squad for today’s league game against Hearts at Petershill Park.
However, this will be her final playing involvement as she steps back to focus on her work with the Glasgow City Foundation.
Shine has been open about her mental health difficulties and in her book ‘ Scoring Goals In The Dark’, revealed the full extent of her trauma.
The Cork-born footballer admitted at one stage she couldn’t “go more than three minutes without putting alcohol or something else into my body”.
Shine has made 105 appearances and scored 70 goals, the joint 11th highest goalscorer in
Glasgow City history. So far this term she has played f ive times for Eileen Gleeson’s side and kicked the season off positively with a hat-trick in the first game of the campaign against Spartans.
In a post on Twitter, she wrote: “As athletes we have high standards and push ourselves to the limit every time we step out onto the pitch
“I have given football everything I have for the last 22 years, incredible highs but also intense lows.
“Throughout the last few years I have struggled both mentally and physically to reach the demands as a professional footballer and with that I have decided it’s time for me to put myself first and step away.”
Glasgow chief Laura Montgomery applauded the contribution of Shine who will go down as one of the most important figures in the club’s history.
She said: “Clare will be a massive loss on the pitch and in the dressing room but I hope she retires with only the best memories and knowing that she is forever a huge part of this club.”