Health now the priority as Dixon calls time on his career

The ex-Hull FC player joined the West Yorkshire club from Northampton Saints in 2007 and went on to score more than 1,000 points, scoring 63 tries in 145 Super League games and kicking over 300 goals.

Dixon, who cited playing in last season’s Challenge Cup final at Wembley as one of his career highlights, explained: “I’ve had surgery to remove a disk and had an artificial disk put in there.

“It was going to be at least a six months, no-contact rehab’ period. That would have taken up most of this season and prior to the surgery I already had an idea I might retire at the end of 2015.

“But it has come to an end now and you simply can’t put a price on your health. It’s certainly not the way I wanted to go out.”

Hull-born Dixon, whose career was threatened in 2009 when he suffered a blood clot in his calf, added: “I will miss everything about this place – the office staff, the coaches, the players, Castleford itself.

“They are a great bunch of people here, and an honest set of fans who always pick you up when you need it.

“Trying to come to terms with not putting the shirt on and walking out of that tunnel is something that hasn’t sunk in yet and probably won’t for quite some time.

“Watching the boys walk out against Wakefield on the first day of the season is going to be tough.

“But it’s my health that has to come first now, I have a family, a lovely little girl, and it would have been selfish of me to carry on from both a family and a club point of view.

“I probably wouldn’t have come back from the injury as the same player.”

Castleford chief executive Steve Gill thanked him for his “magnificent contribution” to the club, while coach Daryl Powell hailed Dixon’s attention to detail and described the popular player as a “consummate professional.”

Tigers are unlikely to move into the market to replace him.

James Clare, the exciting 23-year-old academy product, was last night promoted to Dixon’s No2 jersey, they have the excellent Justin Carney on the left and also captured New Zealander Denny Solomona from London Broncos during the off-season.

Meanwhile, Albert Firth, who won the Challenge Cup final as a player with Wakefield Trinity in 1960 and 1962, has died at the age of 77. The second-row/prop made more than 200 appearances for the club from the 1953-54 season until 1963, when he joined York.

The RFL has agreed a three-year partnership with betting company Ladbrokes, who have become title sponsors of the Challenge Cup in a deal believed to be worth more than £3m.

That is more than predecessors Tetley’s who backed the competition for the last two seasons.

The first round will be drawn at Wembley tomorrow.