Former Burnley defender Phil Bardsley has announced his retirement from the professional game aged 37.

Bardsley played six times for the Clarets during a loan spell from Manchester United in the 2005/06 campaign.

He returned to Turf Moor on a permanent deal in the summer of 2017 and went on to make a further 70 appearances over the next five seasons, featuring in the Europa League qualifiers the following season.

The full-back, who also won 13 caps for Scotland, was one of a number of players released at the end of their respective deals after relegation from the Premier League in 2022.

Bardsley had a stint at League Two side Stockport during the second half of last term, donating his entire wage to charity.

But the 37-year-old made just three appearances at Edgeley Park due to injury as the Hatters came up just short against Carlisle in the play-off final at Wembley.

He has now called time on a 20-year playing career that included spells with Aston Villa, Sunderland and Stoke among others.

Last year, Bardsley told talkSPORT: “(My Burnley exit) was quite difficult, it came out on Sky Sports News.

“You have to say your goodbyes. You don’t really want to be in the group chats anymore, that’s the most difficult thing.

“On the same day as I said my goodbyes to the lads, four or five players did the same thing so it was tough.

“It’s strange, I had a good relationship with the hierarchy at Burnley. They were coming to me asking for advice with the squad and how the players were feeling, so it was a little bit weird the way it all unfolded in terms of being released.

"There were a lot of experienced players there, you wouldn’t expect that. There was me, Aaron Lennon, Dale Stephens, Erik Pieters – players that have played at a good level for a long period of time.

"I don’t think it would have been hard just to pick the phone up and have that conversation with them.”