MAX SPORTS: Watford

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Thursday, 30 April 2026

MANCHESTER UNITED LEGEND ASHLEY YOUNG ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM FOOTBALL, WHO IS HIS WIFE, DO THEY HAVE KIDS?

Footballer Ashley Young has played for the likes of United, Watford, Aston Villa, Inter Milan and Everton.

Manchester United legend Ashley Young has announced he is retiring from football at the age of 40, the footballer joined Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025 and previously played for the likes of Watford, Aston Villa, Inter Milan and Everton.

Ashley Young said: “I am incredibly proud and fortunate to have achieved everything I have during my career.”

He also said: “It’s not too often you sit and think about this while you are still in the game, but I have lived my dream during the last 23 years. It’s now time for some reflection on what I’ve been able to achieve and the next few weeks and months will be when I decide what I am going to do next.

“But that is all to come. My full focus is on Saturday and helping this club achieve our goal, which is promotion back to the Premier League.”

Kieran McKenna, the manager of Ipswich Town said: : "Ashley's career in the game speaks for itself and it has been an honour to have worked with him, firstly at Manchester United and then here at Ipswich this season.

"The professionalism, competitiveness and quality he displays every day has had a massive impact on the group this season and I know he wants nothing more than to end his career by helping us achieve our goal."

Manchester United legend Ashley Young announces retirement from football, who is his wife, do they have kids? Ashley Young of Ipswich Town warms up before the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Ipswich Town and BlackpoolÂ on January 10, 2026 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Ashley Young took to Instagram and wrote: “From Sefton Road to Vicarage Road to Villa Park to Wembley to Old Trafford to San Siro back to Villa Park to Goodison Park and finally to Portman Road. It’s been some journey that I only dreamt of as a boy! But with this dream there has to be an ending and Saturday might be the Last Game Of My Professional Career🤘🏾💛💜🤍❤️💙 23 years and OUT!

“To be continued….”

“I couldn’t tell you the stats about how many games I’ll play, but what my focus is on is getting this club back into the Premier League, that’s all I’ve got to focus on now.”

Who is Ashley Young’s wife, do they have kids?

Ashley Young is married to his childhood sweetheart Nicky Pike, they have two children, Tyler and Ellearna. In 2024, footballer Tyler Young signed for Peterborough United. He then joined Ipswich Town and in October 2025 joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Chatham Town on loan.

- Marina Licht

Tuesday, 3 March 2026

EX-NEWCASTLE STAR OPENS UP ON 'DAMAGING' COCAINE ADDICTION - 'I HURT LOTS OF PEOPLE'

Daryl Janmaat has opened up about the 'damage' caused by a cocaine addiction after retiring from professional football

Daryl Janmaat admitted he turned to drugs after hanging up his boots(Image: PA)

Former Newcastle United defender Daryl Janmaat has opened up about the 'damage' a cocaine addiction inflicted on his life after his professional football career came to an end. Janmaat made his mark in the English top flight with both Newcastle and Watford during his playing days, whilst also spending a considerable period in the Netherlands.

The 36-year-old, who accumulated 34 caps for the Dutch national side throughout his career, spent two years at Newcastle before making the switch to Watford in 2016. Janmaat eventually departed Vicarage Road in 2020 to head back to his home country with ADO Den Haag, a club that now competes in the second tier of Dutch football.

Following his retirement from professional football in 2022, Janmaat went on to take up a role as technical manager at ADO Den Haag. The former Premier League ace has now spoken openly in an interview about the "damage" wrought by a cocaine addiction, as per the Mirror.

"I have three children who also hear and read things," Janmaat said, via Dutch newspaper AD. "I can't and don't want to go into all the details, but my cocaine addiction has caused a lot of damage."

The former Premier League star recounts how the conclusion of his professional football career, which came about after the ex-defender sustained a knee injury, was when his troubles began.

"I was supposed to get help from everyone and everything, but I was left to fend for myself. It was nothing," Janmaat added. "Suddenly, I lost the structure I'd had for years as a footballer.

"That was difficult. The cocaine addiction gradually crept in. You start lying to the people you love. That's terrible; I hurt a lot of people.

"The problems only started after I retired. As a player, everything is manageable: you go from training to training. From match to match.

Janmaat’s life changed dramatically after retirement(Image: PA)

"When all that disappeared and I felt completely out of place as technical manager at ADO, things went wrong. Very much so."

Janmaat also spoke candidly about how the addiction has affected his personal life. "I'm still officially married, but we're no longer together," he stated.

"The relationship wasn't going well, you know, but the addiction obviously didn't help. A lot of damage has been done, although we're on good terms again."

Janmaat now operates his own gym business in Scheveningen called High Power Gym, and has revealed how he managed to overcome being in a 'really, really bad' place to transform his life.

"Cocaine destroys a lot. My family and friends were there for me, but I let a lot of people down," Janmaat admitted. "You start lying and distorting things.

"That's exhausting, but above all, very painful. Was it life-threatening? Well, I was in deep, very deep.

"There were times when I was really, really bad, let's just say that. I had everything as a player, and I still do, actually. But a lot has happened in the meantime. Too much.

"Addiction is truly a battle, where you're at your wits' end. Literally. You're in a struggle; it really destroys a lot.

"In a clinic like that, you have therapy and counselling. After that, I went in a different direction. Yes, the right direction. Fortunately."

- Mark Wakefield and Bruna Reis