FORMER Southend United midfielder Luke Hyam has announced his retirement from football at the age of 29.

Hyam made 28 appearances during an injury hit two year spell with the Shrimpers which ended in 2020.

And he has been forced to hang up his boots after being unable to work his way back to full fitness.

"It's heartbreaking,” Hyam told Ipswich Town’s official website.

“The decision was kind of taken out of my own hands. I picked up a back injury about a year and a half ago and it just deteriorated over time. It was at the back end of my first year at Southend.

“It's unfortunate but you can't dwell on the past, you've got to look into the future.

"You always think it's going to happen one day, that you're going to retire from football.

“Unfortunately for me, it's happened earlier than most. “

Hyam came through the ranks at Ipswich Town and made 146 appearances for the Tractor Boys before joining Blues in 2018.