Joey Barton hopes Glenn Whelan will return to next season after playing a pivotal role on and off the pitch in Bristol Rovers' promotion.
The former Stoke City and Aston Villa midfielder has been a reliable lieutenant for the Rovers boss, but at 38 years old it is natural that the retirement question is on the agenda with the season complete.
Whelan, a 92-cap Republic of Ireland international, is not your typical 38-year-old, though. Time and again this season, he has shown he can still survive and thrive in the cut and thrust of central midfield.
