Billy Sharp broke down in tears on live television as he confirmed his retirement from professional football, speaking from the Sky Sports studio before Southampton’s Championship meeting with Portsmouth at St Mary’s on Sunday.

The 40-year-old was in the studio as a pundit when he was shown a career montage of messages from former team-mates and managers, ending with footage of him lifting his young son on his shoulders after his final appearance for Sheffield United. He paused through tears before making his decision public.

“I’m going to hang the boots up,” Sharp told Sky Sports. “I gave it a good ride. Got a long way, got to 40.”

“I wanted to do it on my own terms, have a choice.”

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A hat-trick exit at Peterborough

Sharp’s last appearance as a player came on 2 May 2026, the final day of the League One season, when he scored three times in a 3-1 win at Peterborough United for Doncaster Rovers. His goals came in the 54th, 73rd and 79th minutes, and a fourth strike was ruled out for offside that would have taken him to a round 300 career goals.

The three he did score moved him to 299 from 814 appearances. He has not played a competitive match since, with his Doncaster contract ending at the close of the campaign and no fresh deal following.

A Premier League cameo at Southampton

Sharp joined Southampton in January 2012 and won promotion to the Premier League with the Saints that season. He made just two top-flight appearances for Southampton before being loaned to Nottingham Forest and Reading, with his biggest body of work coming elsewhere.

His career was shaped by two long spells at Sheffield United, the club he supported as a boy and captained to promotion back to the Premier League in 2019. He also had spells at Scunthorpe United, Leeds United, Hull City and a short stint in Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy in 2023, before returning to Doncaster Rovers in 2024.

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‘I love football’

The announcement at St Mary’s was not something Sharp had planned.

“I didn’t know that was coming,” he said after the montage. “You make a lot of friends in football and…”

“I love football. Maybe not the most talented player or liked on the pitch but I think I’ve got every single bit out of my career.”

Sharp has completed his coaching badges and the LMA manager diploma. He told Sky Sports he intends to continue in broadcasting rather than move straight into the dugout.

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“I’ve done my coaching badges and the LMA manager diploma, but I do love doing this with you guys.”

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