Former Celtic academy defender Daniel Church has been forced to retire from football at the age of 25 after a specialist identified a problem with his lower spine that was causing his recurring injuries.
Church, who once attracted interest from Manchester United as a 15-year-old, spent years struggling with constant injuries before travelling to London to see a specialist who had worked with Virgil van Dijk and Jude Bellingham.
Specialist's verdict ends playing career
Speaking to Record Sport, Church described how the specialist examined his MRI scans and found the root cause of his leg problems. He was given a stark choice: pay £23,000 for surgery that would only extend his career by a couple of years, or retire immediately.
“He advised me how many risks there were that it definitely wasn't worth getting it done. He just said it was time up pretty much,” Church said. “It was a bit of a shock hearing him break the news. At one point he literally turned around and said, ‘You do realise that you're at the end of the road here? You've obviously thought about that?’ My reply was, ‘Nah, I'd always had it in my head about getting back.’ So it was a bit of a shock and it was tough to take.”
Trophy day memories and near move to Manchester United
Despite never making a senior appearance for Celtic, Church was an unused substitute on the final day of the 2018-19 season when Neil Lennon's side secured eight-in-a-row with a 2-1 win over Hearts. He received a Premiership trophy medal that day, a moment he described as a “crazy, crazy experience.”
Church also revealed he had a chance to join Manchester United before signing his first contract, and later considered a move to Brentford before choosing to stay at Celtic. He kept the Sky Sports screenshot showing United's interest in him as a teenager.
New chapter as barber and future coach
After retiring, Church completed a six-month course to become a barber and now works at Cut 17 in Linlithgow. He plans to get involved in coaching, starting at academy level, with the long-term goal of becoming a manager.
