In a heartfelt announcement, Jordan Rhodes has confirmed his retirement from professional football at the age of 35. The striker, who has left an indelible mark on the game, is set to take on a new role as loans manager at Blackburn Rovers, where he will reunite with former teammate Rudy Gestede, the club's current sporting director.
Rhodes concludes his career as one of the most prolific goalscorers in English football history, finishing third in the all-time rankings across the top four divisions since 2004, trailing only Billy Sharp and Harry Kane. Over his career, he netted an impressive 220 goals in 608 appearances, solidifying his status as a significant figure in the sport.
During the 2018/19 season, Rhodes spent time on loan at Norwich City from Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored nine goals and provided one assist in 40 appearances. Although often overshadowed by the remarkable Teemu Pukki, Rhodes quickly endeared himself to the Carrow Road faithful, playing a vital role in the title-winning campaign under manager Daniel Farke.
Reflecting on his career, which included stints at Ipswich Town, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, and Brentford, Rhodes expressed deep gratitude for the experiences he has gained. "It has to end sometime. I've really enjoyed it. Football has been very kind to me. I've got a lot of thanks to a lot of people - family, friends, coaches over the years to have given me this opportunity to have lived out this dream," he shared in an interview with Blackburn’s club channels.
Looking ahead, Rhodes is excited about his new position at Blackburn. "I'm looking forward to the next chapter, mentoring and guiding the development of some of the lads," he noted. "I'm very flattered. It's gone better than I could have ever imagined on the playing side. I was always keen to work outside of the playing side of things and I'm really looking forward to it."
Rhodes had aspirations of returning to the Premier League with Norwich City, revealing to The Pink'un in February 2022 that he would have welcomed another opportunity to compete at the highest level. "I would have loved another chance at the Premier League and to have gone up and on the adventure of being in that first Premier League season with them would have been nice," he remarked. "Life has taken us on a different path and I'm embracing and loving every minute of being at Huddersfield Town. I'm trying my best to hopefully play against Norwich City next year in the Premier League, both of us together. How nice would that be?" Read more about Mattsson Joins Norwich as Silkeborg Reflects on Loss.
As Jordan Rhodes closes this chapter of his life, Norwich City supporters will remember him fondly for his contributions during his time at the club. The next phase of his career awaits, filled with new challenges and opportunities in the world of football management.