Newport captain Mark O’Brien has retired from football at the age of 27 as he requires heart surgery.
O’Brien, formerly of Derby and Luton, scored four times in 127 appearances for the Exiles.
The defender netted the winning goal against Notts County in 2017 which helped Newport avoid relegation from League Two and retain their English Football League status.
A Newport statement read: “The club will be doing everything it can to support Mark at this difficult time.”
Follow Sporting Life on social - find us on Facebook here or tweet@SportingLifeFC
Related football content
- Premier League remaining fixtures
- Latest Bundesliga previews and tips
- Coronavirus: Returning sports
- Sporting Life App: Android & iOS
- Guide: How to bet online
Responsible gambling
We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.
Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.