Former Wales international Sam Ricketts has announced his retirement from the game due to a knee injury. Ricketts, who won 52 caps for his country between 2005 and 2014, made six League One starts for Coventry this season after signing a new one-year contract in the summer.The former Swansea, Hull, Bolton and Wolves player has not played for the club since October and the 35-year-old has decided to hang up his boots after taking medical advice. Ricketts played for Hull in the Premier League during 2008-09 In a statement issued to Sky Sports News HQ on Wednesday, he said: Today, I am announcing my decision to retire from the game after having received medical advice that I should stop playing with immediate effect due to injury. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me to fulfil every boys dream of becoming a professional footballer. I am grateful to all of the managers, coaches and team-mates that I have had the honour of working with and learning from throughout my career. Ricketts enjoyed a successful two-year spell at Wolves I would also like to express my gratitude to the brilliant supporters of the clubs I have played at for always offering me their wholehearted support. Last but not least, I wish to thank my family for being my inspiration and for having always been there for me.I have been hugely fortunate to ply my trade in every division from the Conference to the Premier League and am immensely proud of having being capped by Wales on 52 occasions. It has been a fantastic journey and one which has provided me with so many unbelievable experiences and memories. Ricketts had a spell at Swindon before joining Coventry last year As my playing career comes to an end, I am now looking forward to embarking on a new chapter. A few years ago, I started working towards my coaching badges and am currently in the process of completing my UEFA A Licence with the Welsh FA.I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead and now hope to be able to give something back to a game which has given me so much.Ricketts was a product of the Oxford United academy and made his senior debut for the club before joining Swansea in 2004 after a year-long spell at non-league Telford.He was signed by Hull for £300,000 in 2006 and made over 100 appearances for the club as an instrumental part of the side that was promoted to the Premier League in 2008.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! 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Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Ken Boyer Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday.BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - David Frost never flinched in his showdown with Hall of Famer Fred Couples even with his first major championship on the line and a late rain delay to ponder the stakes. Frost parred the final two holes to hold on for a one-stroke victory over Couples on Sunday in the Regions Tradition, the South Africans first major title in 17 attempts on the Champions Tour. "We came in from the break and I said to myself, Its not going to be easy," Frost said. "Freddys got nothing to lose. Hes going to go out there and hit the shots and fire at the pins. Ive just got to kind of accept it and be up to the challenge." Both birdied No. 16 after play resumed with the sun shining after a delay of 1 hour, 8 minutes for lightning in a round played at times in driving rain. Couples and Frost both shot 4-under 68, and Frost finished at 16-under 272. It was Frosts second victory of the season and fifth career win on the 50-and-over tour. "We both played very hard today. I dont know who wanted it more, me or him," Frost said. "Hes just such a tough competitor. I didnt think I had it in me, all the good shots he hit out there. I just had to try to stay on top of him." The two bumped fists coming up on 18 in what had ultimately turned into a two-man duel. "He played very well," Couples said. "I gave him pretty much everything I had. I hit some pretty good shots. I drove it pretty well. He was just better the whole day. He stayed one ahead and thats where we ended up." Also the Toshiba Classic winner in March in California, Frost hit his approach shot to 10 feet of the closing hole and two-putted to match Couples par. Couples had sent his approach into the bunker at right and his potential birdie putt went just to the left. "I said to myself, If he makes his (putt), Im just going to have to make mine. Ive been in this match play situation many times before and thats just how I try to envision whats going on," Couples said. "You cant help it if hes going to roll his putt in." The next round of heavy rain started within a couple of miinutes of the end of the round, which opened in the morning with a two-tee start.dddddddddddd John Cook and Esteban Toledo finished three strokes back, while Michael Allen, Russ Cochran and Duffy Waldorf were 12 under. Cook closed with a 66 and Toledo, Mexico, had a 67. Couples was seeking a second straight win in a major. He sat out the Senior PGA Championship three weeks ago but won the Senior British Open in 2012. Frost had come close in a major before but this time managed to nurse his one-stroke lead through the final round. He lost to Tom Lehman in a three-way playoff at the 2010 Senior PGA Championship. Frosts only bogey came on No. 14 while Couples got his 68 with six birdies and two bogeys. Couples, who had a 3-footer for birdie on No. 15, left the next hole with a grin after matching Frosts birdie. His expression turned to a wince when his second shot on No. 17 went far to the right, landing down a steep slope from the green next to the grandstands. He two-putted for his fourth straight par on the hole and couldnt make up that stroke. "Really, the letdown, I hit a terrible shot on 17," Couples said. "I smoked it down there and I just tried a shot that maybe Im not accustomed to. Under that kind of pressure, I think it was a mental blunder to not hit the green there and not make birdie." Cook had beaten Frost in a playoff at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii, and made a final-round run at Shoal Creek. Cook birdied five of the first eight holes and finished his round with a 66 a couple of minutes before the weather delay. "We were running all day trying to outrun it," Cook said. "I guess this is the very definition of scattered thunderstorms. They were all over the place." Langer, the points leader, closed with a 63 to tie the course record with Gary Player from the 1984 PGA Championship. Langer had 10 birdies and finished at 10 under. "If I had made some putts earlier in the week," he said, "it would have been pretty nice." Two-time defending champion Tom Lehman tied for 22nd at 6 under. ' ' '