Exclusive – Gary Gillespie: Jamie Carragher’s retirement is the end of an era at Liverpool

Former Liverpool star Gary Gillespie has told talkSPORT that it will be the end of an era when Jamie Carragher retires at the end of the season.

The Reds defender, 35, will bring his illustrious career to a close once this campaign finishes at the end of May.

And Gillespie believes that with another Anfield legend, Steven Gerrard, also inching towards the end of his playing days, Liverpool are unlikely to find two homegrown talents like the pair for a very long time.

He told Hawksbee and Delaney: “Carragher has been such a great character for a number of years now that it will be sad to see him go, but it happens to everybody in their career.

“He’s probably doing the right thing, to go out at the top at the end of the season and hopefully that will be the case.”

“In Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard, I don’t think Liverpool will see the like again of these two for quite a number of years.

And, on the back of the announcement, Gillespie believes that Brendan Rodgers will need to bring in some experienced players to try and replace Carragher’s wisdom.

He added: “A great friend of mine [Alan Hansen] was well quoted saying that you don’t win anything with kids, and he was proved wrong, but I think there is a great deal of truth in that statement.

“I think you’ve got to have a blend of good experienced players and the youth to come through as well.

“I think it’s vitally important that you do have the youngsters coming through but equally you’ve got to have that experience.

“If Liverpool have got any ambitions of being a top four side then you have to have that sort of balance and at this time with Jamie retiring and Steven coming towards the twilight of his career.

“I think it’s vitally important that you get a balance and I think senior players are probably the order of the day for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool come the summer.”