Sheringham to end playing career when season ends

LONDON (Reuters) - Former England striker Teddy Sheringham announced on Saturday that he will end his 26-year playing career at the end of the season.

Sheringham turns 42 in April and will hang up his boots with Colchester United, the English Championship (Division 2) team he joined last year.

"After a long and fun filled career I have decided that this season will be my last," Sheringham told the Colchester United Web site (www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk).

"I've had a fantastic time and want to thank all those that have contributed to my career and helped me along the way. I've no immediate thoughts about going into management but football has always been my life and hopefully I will be back at some point in the future."

Sheringham won 51 England caps and scored 11 goals after making his debut against Poland in 1993. His final international appearance came against Brazil in 2002.

His club career began at Millwall in 1982 and took him to Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Spurs again, Portsmouth, West Ham United and Colchester.

He won the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester United in 1999, notably scoring a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer netted the winner barely a minute later.

(Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Alan Baldwin)