John thanks everyone after ending Dubs career

SMALL CHANGE

- BY PAT NOLAN

JOHN SMALL has become the latest Dublin footballer to announce his retirement.

His decision follows that of Stephen Cluxton to join new boss Ger Brennan's management team, thereby bringing the curtain down on his lengthy playing career.

Small was one of the beneficiaries of Brennan's Dublin career winding down in the middle of the last decade as he played all of his football in the halfback line and much of it at centre-back after first being called up for the 2015 season.

The Ballymun Kickhams man emerged after Dublin had begun to assert their dominance having won All-Irelands in 2011 and '13, and he was then part of the side that created history by winning the six-in-a-row from 2015-20.

He won his seventh Celtic Cross in 2023, with his haul also including Leinster titles and 1 0 four National Leagues, while he was an All Star in 2020.