Ben Marshall has revealed how training with Bolton Wanderers helped to convince him that his time in professional football was up after falling out of love with the game.
The 29-year-old has spent much of his career in the top four tiers of English football.
After coming through the ranks at Stoke City, spells in League Two and League One followed with the likes of Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town, Carlisle United and Sheffield Wednesday.
From there, Marshall spent his career solely in the Championship, spending time at Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, Wolves, Millwall and Norwich City.
But currently, Marshall is on the books of West Lancashire Division One side Stoneclough.
His Norwich deal was cancelled by mutual consent in the summer of 2019 and later that year, he joined the Lancashire side in a move that was announced at the start of 2020.
Speaking to the Under The Cosh podcast, Marshall revealed he dropped out of the professional game due to the serious nature of the sport at its higher echelons.
And he revealed how a training session at Bolton Wanderers helped to convince him that he needed to step away from the professional game, after falling out of love with it at Carrow Road and how he felt.
He said: "I just didn't want to risk going back to that place.
"I went training at Bolton and I just thought this isn't me anymore.
"Now obviously I'm in a better place, I've thought about trying to get back but I'm just happy where I am. It's not the best standard in the world but I'm at a happy place."
Since joining Stoneclough, Marshall has had offers from sides to return to professional football.
But he has not entertained them due to the serious nature of professional football and a desire for the sole other aspects of the game, mainly playing on a Saturday and enjoying the dressing room dynamics.
"I've had loads of offers. When I signed for Stoneclough, they're like 'what are you doing?'" he said.
"I said if I end up leaving then there's got to be a package for Stoneclough.
"A lot of them said it's eye-opening because I said I just want to be around lads. I just want to play on a Saturday and I just want to have a laugh and where nothing's too serious.
"I feel like now there's so much seriousness and you can't do anything can you these days."
