Billy Sharp retires at 40 after 22-year career and farewell hat-trick

Billy Sharp has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 40, ending a 22-year career that brought 299 goals, BBC Sport reported. The former Sheffield United captain had been without a club since leaving Doncaster Rovers at the end of last season, having scored a hat-trick against Peterborough in his final appearance.

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Speaking to Sky Sports in comments carried by the BBC, Sharp said he wanted to choose when to stop rather than have injury force the decision, as he had seen happen to friends. He described himself as a passionate player who had made the most of his career and said the memories he had created would stay with him for life.

Sharp grew up supporting Sheffield United and made his Championship debut as a substitute against Watford in November 2004. Across three spells with the Blades, he scored 129 goals and went on to captain the club. He helped United win promotion from League One in 2017 and from the Championship in both 2019 and 2023, making him part of three promotion-winning campaigns at his boyhood team.

His career also included Southampton, where he was part of the side promoted to the Premier League in 2012. Sharp played for Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Scunthorpe United, Reading and Rushden & Diamonds as well. A spell with LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer followed in 2023, but that was not the end of his professional playing career: he subsequently returned to Yorkshire with Hull City and then Doncaster.

At Rovers, Sharp scored the late winning goal against Bradford City that secured promotion to League One in 2025. His farewell treble against Peterborough meant he had registered EFL hat-tricks in his teens, twenties, thirties and forties. A fourth goal in that match was disallowed for offside, leaving him just short of 300 career goals. He acknowledged that reaching the milestone that day would have been special.

Sharp has joined N5, the Baller League six-a-side team led by former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. According to the BBC, he is also considering management after completing his coaching badges.