Bolton Wanderers defender Marc Tierney is poised to announce his retirement on Thursday . The 29-year-old left-back fractured his ankle playing against Yeovil in September 2013 and following a series of operations and advice from specialists in America he has been forced to cut short his career . Tierney , who joined Bolton from Norwich , was set for a call up to the Republic of Ireland squad prior to his injury . Bolton defender Marc Tierney has been forced to take early retirement following a long-term ankle injury . Tierney started his career at Oldham Athletic in 2003 , rising through the ranks at the club 's academy and making 44 appearances for the first-team , before a switch to Shrewsbury Town four years later . He spent another four years at Shrewsbury , with one of those a loan spell at Colchester United . He then moved to Colchester permanently before signing for Norwich in 2010 , where he was part of the Canaries side that won promotion to the Premier League . After being released from Carrow Road , Tierney had established himself as Bolton 's first-choice left-back . Tierney ( left ) , during his Norwich days , tracks Everton 's attacking midfielder Royston Drenthe ( right )
veteran left - winger Marc ##rick is set to hang up his boots . The 29-year - old has been forced into early retirement after failing to recover from a fractured ankle sustained against Yeovil in march 2013 . He underwent a series of tests and received specialist advice .