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Kevin Phillips, Sunderland Legend, Retires Aged 40

Super Kev Calls It A Day At 40 (PICTURES)
The Huffington Post UK/PA
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Kevin Phillips has announced will retire from professional football after his final match on Saturday.

The 40-year-old will make one last appearance for Championship champions Leicester City before bringing his 20-year career in football to an end.

Phillips joined Watford in 1994 from non-league outfit Baldock Town before moving to Sunderland three years later.

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Phillips celebrates Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League in 1999 with daughter Millie

The marksman enjoyed great success during his six-year stint with the Black Cats, winning promotion to the Premier League, making his England debut and winning the Premier League Golden Boot, scoring 30 goals in the 1999-2000 campaign.

Following Sunderland's relegation in 2003, Phillips moved on to Southampton, where he spent two years before heading to the West Midlands for spells with Aston Villa, West Brom and Birmingham.

The forward then spent two years with Blackpool before heading to Crystal Palace, where he scored an extra-time penalty in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final last year to send the Eagles back to the Premier League.

Phillips has made 11 appearances for Leicester since joining the club in January 2014, and after clinching yet another promotion, he has decided to retire.

Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips award(01 of28)
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This picture can only be used within the context of an editorial feature. Sunderland's Kevin Phillips shows off the Carling Golden Boot trophy awarded to him for being last season top scorer. Sunderland face Arsenal in the match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Nationwide League Division One - Sunderland v Birmingham City (02 of28)
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Sunderland's Kevin Phillips celebrates winning the First Division Championship with his daughter Millie (credit:PA)
FBL-ENG-CRYSTAL PALACE-WATFORD(03 of28)
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Crystal Palace's English striker Kevin Phillips celebrates with the trophy following victory in the English Championship Play Off final football match between Crystal Palace and Watford at Wembley Stadium in London on May 27, 2013. Crystal Palace won 1-0. AFP PHOTO/IAN KINGTONRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion(04 of28)
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LONDON - MAY 04: Kevin Phillips of West Bromwich Albion celebrates with the trophy during the Coca Cola Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion at Loftus Road on May 4, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Final - Arsenal v Birmingham City - Wembley Stadium(05 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates with the trophy after the final whistle (credit:PA)
Soccer - Sky Bet Championship - AFC Bournemouth v Leicester City - Dean Court(06 of28)
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Leicester City's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring the first goal of the game (credit:PA)
Soccer - npower Football League Championship - Play Off - Final - Crystal Palace v Watford - Wembley Stadium(07 of28)
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Crystal Palace's Kevin Phillips (centre) celebrates with his team-mates after scoring his side's first goal of the game (credit:PA)
Soccer - npower Football League Championship - Crystal Palace v Hull City - Selhurst Park(08 of28)
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Crystal Palace's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the npower Championship match at the Selhurst Park, London. (credit:PA)
Soccer - npower Football League Championship - Blackpool v Brighton and Hove Albion - Bloomfield Road(09 of28)
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Blackpool's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring during the npower Football League Championship match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool. (credit:PA)
Soccer - npower Football League Championship - Brighton and Hove Albion v Blackpool - Amex Stadium(10 of28)
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Blackpool's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring his second, and the equalising, goal. (credit:PA)
Soccer - npower Football League Championship - Blackpool v Peterborough United - Bloomfield Road(11 of28)
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Blackpool's Kevin Phillips celebrates his first goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Birmingham City v Wolverhampton Wanderers - St Andrews' Stadium(12 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates after scoring the equalising goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - St Andrew's(13 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates after scoring their second goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - St Andrew's Stadium(14 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates after scoring the equaliser (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Reading v Birmingham City - Madejski Stadium(15 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates promotion (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football Championship - Birmingham City v Ipswich Town - St Andrews' Stadium(16 of28)
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**Alternative crop** Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Southampton v Birmingham City - St Mary's Stadium(17 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring his sides second goal. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Southampton v Birmingham City - St Mary's Stadium(18 of28)
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Birmingham City's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring his sides second goal. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football Championship - Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion - Loftus Road(19 of28)
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West Bromwich Albion's Kevin Phillips celebrates with the championship trophy (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca Cola Cup - Watford v Blackburn Rovers (20 of28)
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Watford's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring (credit:PA)
Soccer - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Play Off Semi Final - First Leg - Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Bromwich Albion - Molineux Stadium(21 of28)
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West Bromwich Albion's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Carling Premiership - Sunderland v Aston Villa (22 of28)
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Sunderland's Kevin Phillips celebrates after scoring the second goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclaycard Premiership - West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland(23 of28)
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Kevin Phillips of Sunderland celebrates scoring the equalising goal against West Bromwich Albion to make the score 2-2 (credit:PA)
Soccer - Nationwide League Division One - Play-Off Second Leg - Sunderland v Sheffield United(24 of28)
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Kevin Phillips (C) of Sunderland celebrates the second goal with Niall Quinn (L) and Michael Grey (R) (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Sunderland v Aston Villa - The Stadium of Light(25 of28)
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Aston Villa's Kevin Phillips celebrates scoring (credit:PA)
Soccer - Nationwide League Division One - Bury v Sunderland(26 of28)
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Sunderland's Kevin Phillips celebrates the first goal (credit:PA)
Sunderland v Derby(27 of28)
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Sunderland's Kevin Phillips celebrates his goal during the FA Barclaycard Premiership game against Derby at The Stadium of Light, Sunderland. THIS PICTURE CAN ONLY BE USED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF AN EDITORIAL FEATURE. NO WEBSITE/INTERNET USE UNLESS SITE IS REGISTERED WITH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PREMIER LEAGUE. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Carling Premiership - Sunderland v Chelsea (28 of28)
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Sunderland's Kevin Phillips celebrates scroing the third goal (credit:PA)

Phillips said on Sky Sports:

"After 20 amazing years as a professional footballer, I've decided to announce my retirement.

"After scoring the winner to get Crystal Palace promoted at the end of last season there were a few voices in the back of my head saying 'maybe I should retire now'. But I decided to continue for another season for the chance to play in the Premier League as a 40-year-old.

"I managed to do that earlier in this campaign - joining an exclusive group of three other players who have played in the Premier League as 40-year-olds - but now the time is right.

"After a lot of consideration and time spent talking with my family, the Leicester manager Nigel Pearson and my agent, I think the time has come. I turn 41 in July and I just feel now, with sore ankles and the way my body is, it's not going to get any easier.

"All my family will be at the King Power Stadium this weekend and it's going to be emotional. However, although it's going to be a strange feeling leaving the pitch for the final time as a player, now's the right time."

Phillips is now set to join the coaching staff at the King Power Stadium.

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