Darlington manager Gary Bennett last night saluted Martin Gray after his former skipper was forced into retirement.

The ex-Sunderland midfielder has been forced out of the game on specialist's advice after suffering a spine injury.

The decision came after a visit to a specialist on Friday afternoon, who told him that if he played again he would risk permanent damage.

But there is some compensation for the 30-year-old, as he has been appointed reserve team coach at Feethams.

Bennett, a former Roker Park teammate of Gray before becoming his manager at Feethams, said: "It's a massive loss to the club, it's a big loss for Martin and to football.

"He's still a young player in football terms and he still had a lot to offer. He's one of the players who is always keen to play; he's an influence in the dressing room.''

Gray, 30, who made 66 league appearances for Quakers since his move from Oxford, confessed: "It has been a nightmare ever since I picked up the injury against Chesterfield in January.

"I had a long chat with the specialist on two occasions about a possible comeback, and he told me that if I injured the disc again, it would have to be removed. I had two choices - carry on playing with a 60-40 chance of crippling myself, or calling it a day. I can't afford to take the chance.

"The start of the season has been torture from my point of view, because I wanted to be involved on the field. The hardest days have been match days.

"This is the worst day of my career by a long way, but at least the chairman and the manager have softened the blow by keeping me at the club, which I'm really thankful for.

"It's a great boost to be involved still, and I'm hoping to bring the young lads through and push them towards the first team.

"There's no turning back now. I'm going to get my head down and work hard at my new job. Coaching is the next best thing to playing."

Stockton-born Gray made his League bow while on loan at Aldershot in 1990, but hasn't played since Quakers' 2-2 draw at Lincoln in January.

During the summer the club asked him to help with some of the coaching of the youth and reserve teams and he will make his full-time managerial bow today when the reserves travel to Doncaster in the Avon Insurance League.

Bennett added: "It's a decision he had to make with the club having spoken to the specialist. He's been coming back now for six or seven months and he's not that far away from fitness. He did have a chance of going on and trying for anther two or three months but he's held his hands up and decided to retire.

"Later on in life there could have been consequences but you can say the same about any footballer. If a player plays day in and day out for 20 years there is always the chance of picking something up.

"The chairman has stood by him and not just thrown him on the scrap heap and it's credit to him for doing that.''

Bennett, meanwhile, has admitted he's interested in bringing Sunderland striker Michael Reddy to Feethams. Peter Reid has made the Irish Under-21 international available for loan with Darlington, Luton Town and Quakers' visitors on Saturday, Carlisle, all linked in him.

"A player as good as is Michael Reddy is a player that a lot of clubs would be interested in.''

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