MICHAEL SVENSSON is retiring as a player exactly seven years to the day after he joined Saints.

The Swedish centre half has been forced to call a halt to his brave battle with an awful knee injury and will instead concentrate on his coaching career.

Svensson joined Saints from Troyes for £2m on June 25, 2002, and quickly established himself as a cult hero with his nickname ‘Killer’ ringing out around St Mary’s as he helped Gordon Strachan’s team to the FA Cup final and an eighth-placed Premier League finish in his first season.

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