Aston Villa captain Martin Laursen has been forced into retirement at the age of just 31 by a persistent knee injury.

Laursen had not played since the 2-1 win against West Brom on January 10 when he aggravated the problem he picked up the previous month playing at West Ham.

He then suffered another setback in February at a Villa training camp in Dubai.

There was no guarantee that surgery on his right knee would enable him to play again - leaving Laursen with little option but to hang up his boots.

The former Denmark international, who made 53 appearances for his country, said: "I cannot recover from my knee injury so I have to retire.

"Over the last few weeks I've had to decide whether to go ahead with another operation or to retire.

"My decision was to retire as it would have been a very big and difficult operation. At this point it is better for my health and future life."

Laursen, who admitted the last two seasons have been the best of

his playing career, added: "It is so strange, so weird that I've made an announcement that I will no longer play again whereas half a year ago I was flying.

"I was in the best shape of my life and playing every game. It is weird and I am really sad.

"Football has always been my life. I've been a professional since 1997 and done nothing else.

"I am looking at the positives that I returned from my previous operation and was playing the best football of my life.

"I'm now almost 32 and you cannot play football forever. You have to stop some time."

Laursen paid credit to Villa manager, Martin O'Neill, who himself had to quit playing because of a knee injury.

He said: "Martin O'Neill has been very helpful and has allowed me to take my time in making a decision.

"I can honestly say there have been more positives than negatives since he took over as manager."

Laursen joined Villa in May 2004 from AC Milan for £3million but made just 91 appearances for the club in five seasons.

He missed all of the 2005-06 season due to a problem with his left knee that had troubled him earlier in his career.

He announced his retirement from international football in January so

that he could extend his Villa career but that ultimately proved to be a false hope.

Laursen was the linchpin of Villa's team which has been vividly reflected in their playing record since his enforced absence in January.

O'Neill admits it is going to be hard to replace his captain.

O'Neill has described the former AC Milan centre half as a "real leader."

He said: "I was expecting Martin's decision.

"But the irony is that it was a knee with which he had never had a problem.

"I would not have believed that after we had beaten West Ham at Christmas-time he would only play one more league game for us.

"He is a still a very young man who had another year on his contract and the way he was going we would have been thinking of extending his contract.

"We have lost a real leader. We have lost a talisman.

We have lost a real quality central back.

"He will be hard to replace.

He has been a fantastic player for Villa.

He never shirked anything and he has been missed by everyone - myself, the players and fans."