Former Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves forward retires at age of 32

He had been a free agent since Burton Albion confirmed his release at the end of last season and in a heartfelt post on LinkedIn, Winnall admitted the game had “taken its toll” on him.

A section of his statement read: “After much consideration, it’s time to hang up the professional football boots…

"From as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a professional footballer. I had the dream, I lived the dream. Although it wasn’t the fairytale story of being Arsenal’s number nine or scoring for England. I made a living by putting the ball in the back of the net and nothing can ever replicate, replace or take away that feeling.

"So at 32, why now? Well the truth is the game has taken its toll on me the last couple of years. Aches, pains, injuries, rejection, broken promises, unpredictability and setbacks made the job I once dreamed of doing into a negative part of my life. I love [the] game, I always will, but I know it’s time to walk away as a player.”

Winnall is now working towards becoming a psychotherapist, having started with his studies two years ago.

The forward is perhaps best remembered for his exploits at Oakwell, which made him a hit with Barnsley fans. He made 115 appearances for the club, scoring 48 goals and playing a key role in their promotion from League One in 2016.

He was plucked from Oakwell by Sheffield Wednesday in 2017 but was not quite as prolific at Hillsborough, netting on six occasions across his 43 appearances. A product of the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy, he also represented the likes of Scunthorpe United and Derby County.