Dean Blackwell says his immediate future lies outside football after being forced to quit because of injury.

The former Albion defender, 34, insisted he wanted a clean break so he can rebuild his professional life.

He said: "I've drawn a line and moved on. Playing football was chapter one of my life. Now chapter two starts, doesn't it?

"I want to do something completely different. I need to get away from football for a year or two because it is the only thing I've known since leaving school.

"I've got plenty of plans but nothing concrete. My dad and brother are electricians so I might help them.

"I have to enrol at a college in the next few weeks and if that's what needs to be done, I'll do it."

Blackwell has no regrets about deciding to retire after a year-long fight against knee problems.

He said: "I wanted one last comeback last season but we ran out of games.

"But I have no regrets. I put everything I possibly could into trying to recover. I'll never have to worry or wonder if I could have done something else that would have allowed me to play on.

"Besides, it wasn't a bad chapter one. The end happened slightly before I thought it would but it had to happen some time. I can't complain. I've had a good innings."

Blackwell, who made 21 appearances in a two-year spell with the Seagulls, only accepted the inevitable after seeing a second specialist in London last Wednesday.

He said: "It was only when the surgeon couldn't advise me to play on that it finally sunk in. I had hoped right up until that point that I'd be okay.

"I didn't want to give up but I preferred that the surgeon made the decision for me."

Blackwell played in the Premiership for Wimbledon and represented England at under-21s.

He said: "I've had so many highlights. Being taken on as a professional footballer from an apprentice was one and making my full debut and playing in a couple of cup semi-finals were others.

"Playing for my country made me feel proud. I've enjoyed great days playing big clubs. There are a lot worse off than me."

Blackwell insisted the hardest part of his battle against injury was in his head.

He said: "You get used to all the physical stuff, building the knee up, but it was hanging in there mentally which was the most difficult thing.

"Just working out in a Portakabin (Albion's treatment room at the training ground) for a year does get to you.

"Sometimes I didn't go home in the best of moods.

"One day the knee would feel great and the next it didn't.

"The lowest I felt was when I had come back from injury and was training for three weeks.

"I thought I'd cracked it before waking up one morning and my knee had ballooned up for what seemed like no reason.

"Obviously, something happened the day before and I had an operation which didn't cure the problem.

"All this was hard for my wife, Rachel. She knew when to leave me alone. There was no point in asking me how it was every single day. She soon worked it out."

Blackwell has plenty of positive feelings for Albion, despite relegation in his first season.

He said: "I thoroughly enjoyed it apart from, obviously, the last day at Grimsby when we went down. I got caught up in the atmosphere at Cardiff, too, when we reached the play-off final. That was fantastic.

"Everyone at the club - the players, the coaches, managers, chairman and supporters - have been fantastic.

"The club have been amazing, particularly when you consider the financial worries.

"The players have been brilliant. The fans never thought I was milking it, they were always encouraging.

"I'll continue to be a supporter of the club. I'll come down to games."