Ex-Sheffield United, Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United man Billy Sharp completes swift retirement U-turn
A non-league club have brought Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers icon Billy Sharp out of retirement
Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers icon Billy Sharp has completed a retirement U-turn to sign for non-league outfit AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
The 40-year-old hung up his boots last month, calling time on a playing career that spanned over 20 years.
He spoke openly of his desire to move into coaching, but has now come out of retirement to venture into non-league football.
Billy Sharp back in the game
Sharp, who also counts Leeds United and Hull City among his former employers, has linked up with eighth-tier AFC Rushden & Diamonds ahead of their FA Cup trip to third-tier Burton Albion this weekend.
He had a loan spell with the now-defunct Rushden & Diamonds in 2005 and has now been snapped up by the phoenix club that replaced them.
A club spokesperson said: “After 21 years away, AFC Rushden & Diamonds are excited to announce that Billy Sharp becomes a Diamond once again.
“Billy scored the first of 299 goals for Rushden & Diamonds back in 2005. The man who put the ball in the Cobblers net, has 299 career goals spanning over 22 years.
“Featuring for RDFC, Sheffield United, Doncaster Rovers, Southampton, and Scunthorpe United to name a few.
“Billy comes in to help the club with James Clifton being suspended and we can’t wait to see him pull on the shirt one final time as we go to Burton Albion in the FA Cup first round proper for the first time ever in AFC Rushden & Diamonds history.”
First Rushden experience
Sharp took his career goals tally to 299 last season, signing off at Doncaster with a hat-trick on the final day of the season.
With his new club’s regular forward James Clifton suspended, Sharp has an opportunity to hit 300 - and play a role in a giant-killing.
Reflecting on his 2005 move to Rushden & Diamonds in a recent interview, Sharp said: “I still remember when [Sheffield] United spoke to me about going on loan there. With all due respect, I didn’t know who Rushden & Diamonds were. I didn’t even know where it was in the country.
“I actually travelled down from Sheffield with a guy called Adrian Littlejohn, who I’d watched as a fan at Sheffield United. He was coming towards the end of his career and I was actually signed as his replacement at Rushden.
“But we he was absolutely amazing with me and there were so many of his little words of wisdom that I’ve kept with me over the years. He was actually one of the first people who said to me, ‘Enjoy it, embrace, play as long as you can because it’s gone in a flash’. Now I’m saying the same thing.
“Lots of things have changed since then. I wore a massive shirt, I had a terrible haircut. It was League Two, fast and furious, constant balls into the box - a lot less tactical.
“As the years have gone on, football has become a very tactical game. Everyone is trying to cancel each other out instead of just playing rock ‘n’ roll football and having a tear up.”