Richard Hastings announces his retirement as a player from football. Hastings spent much of his career at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He played for the Scottish Premier League team from 1994 to 2001 and 2004 to 2009. He was recognized with a testimonial dinner in 2009.

From 2001 to 2004, he played for Ross County in Scotland, Grazer AK in Austria, and MVV Maastricht in Netherlands. In 2009-10, he played for Hamilton Academical in Scotland.

Good luck to him in whatever he tries next ...

Will always be remembered as the man who put the final nail in Dunfermline's relegation coffin. 'Unstoppable' shot

Good luck to him in whatever he tries next ...

I believe he's back in Canada Scotty

Probably trying to get himself into the Vancouver Whitecaps in some capacity ? or if that doesnt work out, maybe Montreal next year ? lots of development within Canadian "Soccer" and MLS at the moment.

To be fair, he would have a decent CV for getting a post somewhere in MLS. Regardless of what some may think of him, in Canada he will be seen as an international player with a pretty decent haul of caps, and one of the guys who played his part in winning the Gold Cup for Canada

Richard Hastings hangs up his cleats

Defender Richard Hastings, a stalwart of the men's national team for over a decade, has announced his retirement as a player. The announcement isn't overly surprising, as the 33-year-old has been without a club since the end of the 2009-10 season. He had 59 appearances for Canada -- tied with Carlo Corazzin for ninth on the all-time caps list -- the last of which was last spring's friendly against Venezuela.

In more than 10 years representing the national team, he scored just one goal. But it was one of the most memorable, and important, goals in the history of the men's national team.

That extra-time strike sent Les Rouges past Mexico (and their inconsolably glum goalkeeper) into the semi-finals of the 2000 Gold Cup, a tournament that Canada would eventually win.

"Richard has served Canada well over his international career and his leadership will be missed by all involved," national head coach Stephen Hart said in a press release.

"Richard still has some valuable experience to pass on as a professional, especially at the club level, but he has made a decision on what is best for him and his family. On behalf of the Canadian program, I would like to say thank you for his service to the country and wish him every success in the future."

The B.C. native will immediately move into a role as an instructor with The Other Foot Soccer School in Nanaimo, an offshoot of the original Other Foot Soccer School based in Inverness, Scotland (which, wouldn't you know it, is where Hastings played for the majority of his club career). The academy is based on a pretty neat concept -- teaching kids to improve with their weaker foot.

While Hastings' time as a player is done, this move is part of a very encouraging trend of former national team members taking up coaching and leadership roles to help young Canadian players blossom -- besides Hastings, Jason de Vos, Nick Dasovic and Jason Bent immediately come to mind, though I'm sure I'm missing plenty.

Though I'm in no way authorized to do so, I'm going to do it anyway -- On behalf of the Voyageurs, thank you Richard, for your past and ongoing service to Canadian soccer. Here's hoping that some day, one of your trainees will score a massive goal for Canada... perhaps with their "other" foot.

Tags : canada soccer canadian soccer canmnt richard hastings

for thos that dont know - "Voyageurs" is basically the Canadian equivalent of the Tartan Army.

Glad to see he has something lined up and even better to see "The Other Foot Soccer School" is developing and progressing abroad as well.

It surprises me a little that he's retiring from playing and also that he hasn't had a club this season...although I do wonder if that is as much to do with his own view of the level he should be playing at as anything else!!!

ICT were lucky to have got the best of him...and admittedly a season or two of the "not so good"...but a decent bloke and I wish him all the best.

Great servant to the club and once a great player.

Good luck too him whatever he pursues.

Always thought that he played well for ICT.

I have not seen anything in the local papers about any possible involvement with the Whitecaps who, otherwise, are working very hard to select their team for the upcoming MLS season. Their roster includes quite a few players from other countries and I have the impression that they are spending money on attracting the "type of player" that they want.

Nanaimo is a amall town on Vancouver Island which lies just across the straits from the West Coast of the Canadian Mainland and Vancouver.The only way you can get to it from the mainland is by ferry, float plane/mini propellor-driven plane, helicopter or canoe.It's frankly a bit out of the mainstream but not exactly the back-of beyond. But, with the right coaching,good players can come from anywhere and one of the things about Canada that I like is the fact that distance is no object because this country is so huge that

it doesn't really seem to factor negatively into business decisions.

A better defender than 3 of our back 4 today. All the best Ritchie for what lies ahead! Come on Caley100 I know you will want to say your good luck messages lol.... :biggrin:

Oats has got his wish then.

A solid defender for us at one time, good luck mate, but don't hold your breath for caley100's good luck message.

Caley 100 told me that Hastings stopped playing football in 2007.

Caley 100 told me that Hastings stopped playing football in 2007.

True....

Bye Bye Dickie.... cant..... quite..... shed...... a...... tear......

Never saw a player that was so good at hitting the back of section G with crosses.

I thought he was unfairly criticised myself. When Dods left and Proctor went in there, Hastings was left covering in central defence (Proctor didn't have the strength for that position but neither did Hastings - poor judgment all round), meaning he was constantly out of position for left-back. Djebi-Zadi came in. Didn't bother covering, so we lost numerous goals down that wing. If Hastings had got the nod when Mihadjuks was there, I think that could have been a more solid back four. Best of luck to him.

This is actually the second time in his career he has retired. The first being in 2001.

Oats has got his wish then.

A solid defender for us at one time, good luck mate, but don't hold your breath for caley100's good luck message.

maybe now i can be left to forget about that one mad outburst said as i watched ANOTHER blootered clearance disappear into the stand

He was a terrific player for ICT on our march up the leagues. Wish him all the best on what he decides to do next

IMO he was never terrific.

Decent player, good servant etc, but at no stage was he ever one of our best players, even in the lower leagues. It's just a pity he never fulfilled the potential he showed in his first few years. After becoming a Canada regular at quite a young age, his career peaked when he won the Gold Cup and beat Celtic in 2000. He perhaps lost his way after that and didn't seem to improve much.

Good luck to him.

He was a cracking player that always gave his all. Defensively he was the most solid left back we've ever had and if he'd been selected ahead of Zadi we would have never been relegated.

All the best to him.

Never saw a player that was so good at hitting the back of section G with crosses.

Pretty much how i remember him too

He was a cracking player that always gave his all. Defensively he was the most solid left back we've ever had and if he'd been selected ahead of Zadi we would have never been relegated.

All the best to him.

:clapping:

I hope he does well in what ever he does. A good servant to the club. I thought he would have gone on to bigger things than he did though. Good luck!!!

I thought he would have gone on to bigger things than he did though.

The guy had pretty limited ability. Where did you envisage him ending up?

At the time of the Gold Cup, he was interesting a lot of bigger clubs. I presume that's what was meant.

So much so that he didnt sign a new contract with us because of this interest, then ended up signing for....wait for it.... that big club

Ross County.

Think Richard believed the hype.

Anyway... he IS a nice guy and i hope his future is bright.