“I came out of it in difficult circumstances and came back into it thanks to this football club”

A former Bristol Rovers defender who made close to 100 appearances for the club before spending time in prison has decided to hang up his boots.

David Pipe spent three years at the Memorial Stadium between 2007 and 2010, playing 96 times.

The 35-year-old right-back signed from Notts County and spent the 2009/10 season on loan at Cheltenham Town.

However, his time at Bristol Rovers was marred by an unprovoked attack on another man outside a nightclub on Park Street in September 2009.

Pipe was released by the Gas at the end of that season, and a month later he was jailed for 38 weeks for fracturing Rhys Morris’ skull with a wine bottle.

Following his release in September 2011, Pipe signed for Newport County where he has ultimately decided to end his career following subsequent spells at Forest Green and Eastleigh.

Pipe started his career at Coventry City and picked up a cap for Wales in 2003.

He will retire at the end of the season to focus on setting up a gym for families and children.

Speaking to the Exiles’ official website , the veteran defender said: “I’ll be making a clean cut from football at the end of the season.

“I’ve been in football for 20 years. I came out of it in difficult circumstances and came back into it thanks to this football club, but I feel like I’ve been in it for 30 years rather than 20.”

He added: “I’ve got a couple of things I’m pursuing regarding training children which I’ve been trying to set up over the past 12 months or so.

“I’m one of those people where if I can’t put everything into something then I struggle a bit. I need to dedicate my passion into that now and take it onto that next step.

“It’ll be tough making a clean break from football but I think I can handle it in the best way possible and there will be a lot of kids who can benefit.”

He continued: “I’m really proud of what I achieved during my career.

“The dream would be to get into the play-offs and getting through them with Wembley being my last game. If you were to write something perfect then that’s what I’d write.