A MEMBER of the 2016/17 York City squad has called time on his playing career. 

Goalkeeper Scott Loach, 36, has made the decision to announce his retirement from football. 

Loach featured for York in the 2016/17 Vanarama National League campaign, as City suffered a detrimental back-to-back relegation to slip into the Vanarama National League North for the first time in their history. 

The shot-stopper made nine appearances for the Minstermen, who experienced heartbreak on the final day of the season as relegation was confirmed. 

Loach began his career in the academy of Ipswich Town, but after seven different loan spells, departed the club for a long stint with Watford. 

After 154 appearances for the Hornets, which included two call-ups to the England first-team, Loach returned to his boyhood club Ipswich, before going on to have spells with Rotherham United, Yeovil Town and Notts County. 

It was during his time with the Magpies that he would be allowed to temporarily join York in late-March, featuring in that haunting final day relegation, before ruling out any possibility of a permanent return to North Yorkshire. 

Loach would instead make the move to Hartlepool United, where he would make just shy of 100 appearances, before stints with Chesterfield and Derby County, where he would take a dual coaching position. 

The 36-year-old has now announced his retirement in order to focus on his coaching career, after capping over 500 first-team appearances.

Loach was quoted, saying on social media: "And just like that, lived my dream, and loved every second of it, thank you to everyone who’s been there supported me and gave me the opportunity!

"I have a new passion now which is coaching and I look forward to attacking that head on!

"Much love! Up the goalies, Loachy x."