George Friend, the former Birmingham City defender, has retired from professional football to take on the role of director of football at League One club Bristol Rovers. Friend, aged 36, made 52 appearances for Birmingham City between 2020 and 2023 before leaving last summer. Initially signed by Aitor Karanka, Friend had spent three years at Birmingham City under Karanka’s tenure. He transitioned from being a left-back to a center-half during his career. Before joining Birmingham City, Friend had a successful spell at Middlesbrough, playing nearly 300 games for the club. He had also played for other clubs like Doncaster Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in his career. Friend’s final appearance for Birmingham City was in April in a 1-0 win against Millwall under John Eustace’s management. After leaving Birmingham City, Friend joined Bristol Rovers under the management of Joey Barton. Despite Barton’s departure and the subsequent appointment of Matt Taylor, Friend continued his stint with Bristol Rovers, making 12 appearances for them before announcing his retirement. Expressing gratitude for his journey in football, Friend thanked everyone who contributed to his career, including teammates, staff, managers, owners, and fans. He expressed determination and ambition to succeed in his new role at Bristol Rovers, where he started his footballing journey as a youngster, stating that it feels fitting to end his playing career there. GET MORE NEWS HERE Related Post navigation Man United and Sunderland player gets new job following departure from Birmingham CityEverything you should be aware of regarding the Premier League Cup.