Former Forest Green defender David Pipe has announced he will retire from football at the end of the season.

The Newport County defender, 35, spent two years at Forest Green between 2014 and 2016.

The former Wales international has made 205 appearance for Newport across two spells but will now hang up his boots to pursue ventures outside of football.

On his retirement, Pipe told the South Wales Argus: “It’s not a physical thing, it’s more a mental thing,

“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.

“So I’ll be making a clean cut from football at the end of this season.

“I genuinely feel I could play at this level, fitness-wise, for another two or three years – especially when I’ve been rested as much as I have since Christmas.

“But it probably boils down to being in it for so long. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved but I like to have a bigger impact on things.

“It’s not a personal thing against the club and it’s not like I’m looking to go elsewhere for more money,” he added.

“Even if someone offered me treble the money I’m not interested. It’s not about that. I’ve got other things I’m pursuing.

“I’ve set up a gym to train kids over the last year or so and I’m one of those people that if I can’t put everything into something, I struggle a bit.

“So I need to dedicate my passion into that now and take it into the next step of my life, realistically.

“As much as I’ll miss football, you can’t be half a professional footballer and half training kids.

“I need to make that step and that’s what I’ll be doing at the end of the season.”