Terry Dixon released by Spurs

what a shame. Was supposed to be our Irish Rooney.

Quotes from the Herald:

"People knew that I'd had injury problems for the last while. People within football knew that I had left Tottenham so word got around that I had finished, I had retired, but that's not the case.

There are no guarantees and I have a bit of a way to go, but I do hope that I will be able to play football again. At what level, and with any success, I don't know, no one knows that now.

I had a real high in my career, in my life, when I was in the Ireland squad and on the bench for a game at Lansdowne Road. If that was the high, this is the real low at the moment, leaving Tottenham.

But I do have a real hope that I will be able to play football, at least earn a living from football and see where it takes me after that.

I went to see a specialist a while back and he gave me a bit of hope, he said it's possible that I can play again and be a professional. At this stage it's only a possible and there are no guarantees, but I am strong in my own mind and I am determined to get back playing again.

I am finished with Spurs now, but I have had clubs in touch with me. A couple of teams have said they want me to come there so I can do my rehab and get back training. If I get my fitness up and can show them that I'm able to play without any problems, then I will have a chance of signing.

I will see how I am feeling in the next few weeks but I hope to be able to go to a club soon enough and start doing some more work. At the moment I can do some jogging and some work with leg weights, I have done a bit of passing and some ball work so that was good for me, to work wth a ball again. There's a long road ahead of me and if I do get back, it will be next season.

Spurs paid up my contract. They said that they couldn't take any more chances on me and my fitness, they said that they didn't see it happening for me there. It was hard to leave, I had been there for ten years and to be honest I'd hoped they would treat me better.

There are clubs interested in me and that's a boost for me. I have a good family and friends around me but it's good to know that people in football are also interested and want to sign me.

I will try and get fit and give it a go with some club. This could be my last chance, so I have no reason not to try. I haven't achieved anything in football really, I haven't played a club game and I haven't played for Ireland, I want to do both of them so hopefully the knee can clear up, I can get fit and achieve my goals.

If I can't play again and if I have to quit, at least I know that I tried, and I will do something else. I have been doing coaching courses and I want to stay in the game so I'll see what the future holds for me."

Poor bloke. Terrible luck. I wish him all the best.

From a poster called "Wilde" on COYS forum. Sounds credible.

what i heard on thursday was that the club offered him a coaching role (he has been working on his badges) but he is still totally convinced that he can still continue with his playing career. this is something the doctors don't agree with and insist he could risk not being able to walk when he is older. his family have been put in the horrible situation of being caught between the facts and their son's belief and will power. they've taken the view that if terry believe's he can make it back then they have to fully support him over what's gonna be a nigh impossible journey with the only consolation being that plenty of people have been told they'll never play again or do this or that again and overcome all odds..

the club were left with no option but to release him so that he can pursue his chosen direction. he has still been told that there will be a door left open for him and it's nothing like the cold situation i'd imagined it to be. good luck to him but i don't hold the same belief as he does.

the club were left with no option.

Thanks James, interesting to hear.

Real shame he has got injured so badly, I was really looking forward to seeing him play for the first team.

I think the next big thing might be Dean Parrett. We signed him from QPR last season, he is only 16 but he's already played for the reserves. He's a midfielder and has played for all the England teams through he ages.

by the way Terry was in the crowd at the West Ham match. He was happy to sign autographs, so it's clear he doesn't intend to cut ties with the club entirely.