Matty Forde retires

Frank Spencer

Sunday Independent wrote:

Wexford hero Forde retires

By DAMIAN LAWLOR
Sunday January 16 2011

WEXFORD football legend Matty Forde has called time on his illustrious career after 11 seasons in the purple and gold.

The 31-year-old former All Star and GPA Footballer of the Year told the Sunday Independent that he has not rushed his decision to retire, revealing instead that ongoing injuries had weakened his resolve and left him not enjoying Gaelic football for the first time in his time with the Model County.

"I always said the time to bow out was when I was not enjoying it anymore and that time has come," he said. "For the first time ever I wasn't enjoying it and when last year's Championship came to an end I knew that was me done. I had chronic back problems over the past two years and it took a lot out of me.

"The hunger was gone but I took my time over last winter to decide. I met Jason Ryan, told him I wasn't coming back and that's my decision now."

Revealing the extraordinary pain he suffered before undergoing back surgery in 2008, Forde painted a bleak picture.

"For three weeks, I could only sleep 20 or 25 minutes a night. There was chronic sciatica and my legs were weak from it. I would have to get up in the middle of the night to put a hot water bottle on my leg or go for a walk to get some relief. Anti-inflammatories were only like Smarties to me in the end.

"I would have loved to have won Championship silverware. I really would. In a flash, I'd trade all the individual awards just for one Leinster title. Still, I look back on the last 11 years with nothing but happy memories.

"We came from nowhere, hadn't won two games in a row for donkey's years when all this started for me back in 1999 and we ended up beating almost every top team in Ireland during that period, playing in a Leinster final and an All-Ireland semi-final."

In an extensive interview inside, Forde also details how he coped throughout the most harrowing episode of his career when he was suspended for three months for a stamp on Offaly's Shane Sullivan in 2007.

Recalling how low he felt returning home from a lengthy Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) meeting at 6.30 one morning, he says he went to bed with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He added that he felt like 'Public Enemy No 1'.

But it was one of the few blights on a sensational career. Forde goes down as Wexford's only football All Star, he was recently voted onto the Leinster team of the past 25 years and he represented Ireland in the International Rules series.

He will continue to play with his club, Kilanerin, with whom he has won four senior championships.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/wexford-hero-forde-retires-2498029.html


Superb footballer and will be hugely missed by Wexford.

deisedude

Fantastic player, cant say i'm surprised he retired. Injuries made him a shadow of the player he once was. At his best i would have rated him up there with the Gooch

Diabhal Beag

An excellent player cursed with the Declan Browne curse of playing for a smaller county in terms of talent.

blackbelt

Sad day for Wexford football really.That was compounded by a thrashing by Dublin who beat Wexford 6-10 to 1-08.

Best footballer Wexford have produced in the last decade but they need to kick on now and players like Redmond Barry,Lyng and Morris are going to have to step up to the plate and produce something special.

Forde will be missed as a player,a joy to watch at his best but good luck to him with his club endeavours.Who knows,he might come out of retirement if he somehow shrugs off the injuries and starts enjoying it again.

mrgaa1

He was an excellent footballer, very strong & mobile. It was a shame that he had to resort to off-the-ball tactics to gain an advantage - but then that usually happens to players as they near the end of their careers.

DARK-KNIGHT

mrgaa1 wrote: »

He was an excellent footballer, very strong & mobile. It was a shame that he had to resort to off-the-ball tactics to gain an advantage - but then that usually happens to players as they near the end of their careers.

a certain sly kick towards a great footballer i think by yourself here!!!!

anyways matty forde playedhis heart out for his county and should be celebrated for what he did.

rpurfield

best of luck to the man a serious talent that wouldve got a game with any county

Juniorhurler

I played senior football in the Wexford championship up until about 4 years ago. I remember this guy scoring 2-12 against us in a championship match.
He was some player lads. The best point scorer in the game since Maurice Fitz bar none. Maybe could've got more goals but I am being over picky.
Best of luck in your retirement Matty and thanks for all the great memories.

hisholinessnb

This is not the place to start throwing sly digs at a man who has given so much to the game mrgaa.

Best of luck to a fantastic footballer.

megadodge

A brilliant footballer.

He was a pleasure to watch.

aidan24326

Juniorhurler wrote: »

I played senior football in the Wexford championship up until about 4 years ago. I remember this guy scoring 2-12 against us in a championship match.
He was some player lads. The best point scorer in the game since Maurice Fitz bar none. Maybe could've got more goals but I am being over picky.
Best of luck in your retirement Matty and thanks for all the great memories.

Yes you are being picky! He scored a fair few goals along the way. I remember him putting 4 past our lads (Galway) in Tuam a while back.

He was a great forward at his best, superbly accurate off both feet. Pity to see such a quality player retiring at the relatively young age of 31, but injuries had taken their toll I think.

yop

Class player, if only he had been born in Mayo!!!!!!!

Starie1975

Juniorhurler wrote: »

I played senior football in the Wexford championship up until about 4 years ago. I remember this guy scoring 2-12 against us in a championship match.
He was some player lads. The best point scorer in the game since Maurice Fitz bar none. Maybe could've got more goals but I am being over picky.
Best of luck in your retirement Matty and thanks for all the great memories.

More goals? I was in Tuam when he got 4-05 vs Galway. :eek:

Great player to watch and the best of luck to him. (just seen the above post from Aidan)

O.A.P

I had'nt heard much about him before he took Galway apart in Tuam 6 or 7 years ago. A great footballer but he will never be forgoten in Galway anyway.

User Friendly

Heard him talking on Off the ball t'other night...... i cringed at his story about his back,the short version is a piece of bone broke off and settled in his nerve in his back,20mins sleep every night!:(

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

What a shame! Probably my favourite non-Galway player of the last few years. Was so, so good, he would comfortably start on any county team in any era, he was just phenomenol. Got a poor enough (no-offence meant to the Wexford lads) Wexford team to the semi's recently enough, he was just awesome. I always use to watch him whenever I could and I was rarely disappointed. Best of luck Mattie:)

Hammer Archer

As a Meath man I'm delighted we won't be facing him again because he was tormentor in chief during our run of defeats against Wexford.
As a neutral, I'm sad that he won't grace Croke Park again. He really is a special player.

smelly sock

Best footballer in the country on his day. I remember him in carlow against Meath when wexford were down by 10 with 20 mins to go. He kicked the two winning points that day but I don't think there was a camera at the game.

Maybe someone can advise differently?

dcr22B

smelly sock wrote: »

Best footballer in the country on his day. I remember him in carlow against Meath when wexford were down by 10 with 20 mins to go. He kicked the two winning points that day but I don't think there was a camera at the game.

Maybe someone can advise differently?

There was. I had a great laugh at Meath imploding that night on "The Sunday Game" :P

DARK-KNIGHT

dcr22B wrote: »

There was. I had a great laugh at Meath imploding that night on "The Sunday Game" :P

know how you feel about watching sunday game and seeing teams implode!!!

remember meath vs dublin last summer wasnt it an 11 point win for meath????? :pac:

now i had a great laugh at that did anyone else?

blackbelt

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

know how you feel about watching sunday game and seeing teams implode!!!

remember meath vs dublin last summer wasnt it an 11 point win for meath????? :pac:

now i had a great laugh at that did anyone else?

I didn't.

But then again all I have to do for my laughs is turn on KFM during and after a Kildare loss.The Louth match was the icing on the cake.:pac:

Also,when Down beat Kildare they deferred the 6 o clock news as I remember.:)

Marse

Fine player, no doubt!!