Former Arsenal FA Youth Cup winner confirms retirement | OneFootball

Former Arsenal FA Youth Cup winner Kyle Bartley has announced his retirement from professional football after struggling with a knee injury.

London, England, 9th May 2021. Rob Holding of Arsenal challenges Kyle Bartley of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match at the Emirat…

Kyle Bartley spent five years with Arsenal early on in his footballing career, most notably helping the club’s reserve team to success in both the Premier Academy League (as it was known then) and the FA Youth Cup.

Bartley even made his first-team debut for the Gunners, playing in a Champions League match away to Olympiacos. A few loan spells followed before an eventual permanent departure to Swansea City.

Most recently, Bartley was playing for West Bromwich Albion, spending six seasons with the club in the Championship and one in the Premier League. But the club have now confirmed he’s retiring.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

“Unfortunately, a knee injury I picked up during last season has led me to make the difficult decision to hang up my boots, despite my best efforts to rehabilitate from it,” Bartley admitted.

“I consider myself incredibly lucky to have played the game I love, and it is the highs and lows of football that have helped make me the man I am today.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to all at the club for their support during my seven years here. The club is fortunate to have some outstanding people working at all levels and I’m lucky to have established some special friendships along the way.”

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Bartley featured in the early stages of Swansea City’s successful League Cup campaign in 2012/13, as well as making a few appearances in Rangers’ title-winning Scottish Premiership campaign in 2010/11.

But the defender’s most central role in trophy success was certainly that academy double-winning campaign with Arsenal in 2008/09.

Bartley retires with over 50 Premier League appearances and close to 300 in the Championship.