“Jamie has been forced to stop playing otherwise he could have ended up a cripple,” Harry Redknapp told the News of the World.

“He was getting through games last season on pain-killing injections. It has been a hard decision but following medical advice he has had to put his long-term health first.”

Redknapp started his career at Bournemouth but moved Liverpool in 1991. In 1995, he collected a Coca-Cola Cup winner’s medal and made his England debut against Colombia, the first of 17 caps.

Three years later, Redknapp sustained a knee injury in a tackle in a league game against Coventry, and was ruled out of the 1998 World Cup.

He had a knee operation in November the following year, but more knee trouble forced Redknapp to pull out of an England squad in May 2000. He travelled to the United States for surgery and had to miss Euro 2000.

In August 2001, Redknapp made his first Premiership appearance in almost a year but broke down with more knee problems soon after scoring his first Premiership goal of the season in a 2-0 win at Charlton in October.

His switch to Spurs in 2002 on a free transfer, did not improve Redknapp’s fortunes and in 2003 a further knee injury ruled him out for six months.

In January he was released by Spurs and joined Southampton on a six-month contract, but injury has ended his career early.