Former Norwich City academy graduate goalkeeper Joe Lewis has formally announced his retirement from professional football. 

The  shot-stopper, brought up in Broome, has called time on his 20-year professional career after spending the last 12 months as a training goalkeeper at Manchester United following the conclusion of his lengthy spell at Aberdeen. 

Lewis, who turned 37 earlier this month, spent 13 years at Norwich between 1995 and 2008 before moving to Peterborough United, where he would make 189 appearances. 

The former Bungay High School student also enjoyed spells at Cardiff, Blackpool and Fulham before heading north of the border to sign for Aberdeen in 2016. Lewis' time in Scotland was only meant to be brief, but he ended up spending seven years at Pittodrie before leaving last summer. 

Despite offers from elsewhere, Lewis accepted an offer to form part of Manchester United's training squad last season, but has now called time on his career to set-up his own goalkeeping academy. 

“I probably made the decision to hang up my gloves about three months ago," Lewis told the Daily Record. "I had been signed as a training goalkeeper with Manchester United. Being in at United was fantastic but then that contract ended in the summer.

"I hadn’t played competitive games for nearly two years and so when I was out of contract I wasn’t high up on anybody’s list to go and play. I thought to myself: ‘Do I want to drop down the leagues and play? The answer was ‘No’

The Broome born keeper made over 500 appearances in his career.The Broome born keeper made over 500 appearances in his career. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) “When I left Aberdeen, I thought to myself: ‘Have I got the real desire to carry on doing it?’ I stayed fit last season and was coaching at Macclesfield Town. They asked me to play for them but I didn’t want to drop down to that level.

“I kept myself fit and thought there might be some other opportunities that came up, especially after the window closes but then I got the opportunity to go into Manchester United as a training goalkeeper. I couldn’t turn that down to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and train just 20 minutes from my house.”