A FORMER fan's favourite at Taunton Town has retired from competitive football at the age of 29 after sustaining a serious knee injury.

Striker Gethyn Hill spent two seasons with the Peacocks before his departure in June 2022 – meaning he left with a Southern League winner's medal.

He scored a total of 17 goals from 49 appearances (including from the bench).

He then re-joined Welsh side Merthyr Town FC, where he had recently committed to playing out the 2024/25 season.

But Hill tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) for the third time on Saturday, leading him to make the “difficult decision” to retire from competitive football.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “It feels like the right time to close this chapter of my life and move on to something new.

“At 29 years old, some people might think I'm crazy. But as any footballer knows, playing at this level requires an incredible amount of commitment and sacrifice. Commitment and sacrifice that impacts upon my business, my wife, my children, those around me and most importantly, my long-term health.”

He added: “There's been a long list of friends, family teammates, fans, managers, coaches and clubs that have played a huge part in my life and career – too many to name individually! But I'd like to thank all of you who have been part of this journey.

“Life is full of beautiful things. Football is only one of them.”