| LaMar Retires DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 13 (Reuters) � FC Sudwerk's injury-plagued captain Andrew LaMar, the first player signed by the Northern California superclub, officially retired on Monday. LaMar, 39, said a devastating knee injury suffered in April left him no choice. "In my heart, I will always be one of the red-and-black," LaMar said at a morning press conference. "After 30 years, it's hard to walk away from playing a game I love so much." LaMar will undergo surgery to reconstruct his left ACL, remove damaged meniscus and repair his MCL. It's his second knee surgery in three years, and it will require 12-18 months of rehab. "I wish everyone on the team the best," he said. "It's been a joy to play with such a classy group." A skillful defender who was effective attacking as well, LaMar became a symbol of the red-and-black's travails. FC Sudwerk signaled its grandiose designs when it signed the veteran from Real Madrid in August 2001. But six months after signing, LaMar suffered his first knee injury and was sidelined for a year. Although he returned to the lineup, he never regained his old form. ## |