JOBI McAnuff and Lee Williamson have spoken about losing a friend and a colleague in Damien Francis from the game due to injury.

The Hornets announced last week that the 29-year-old was retiring due to injury, after the midfielder took the decision on strong medical advice following a serious knee injury.

Francis' goalscoring record from midfielder was good throughout his career and his ability to pop up with a strike will be missed by the Golden Boys.

The Wandsworth born player started his career with the Dons, before moving on to Norwich and Wigan before finally settling at Vicarage Road. 

Williamson said: "It's disappointing for anyone to end their career through injury, no player wants to come across that.

"I played a few games with Damo since I signed here. He was a good player, he had a good career but it's just a disappointing end.

"He had a great goalscoring record, that was his game. There are so many different types of midfielders today but Damo done what he did well and got in the box and scored a good amount of goals.

"It's weird when you're injured, you want to train but at the same time you want to protect you injury. It's hard, you've got to get the balance right between the two.

"Injuries can take a long time to heal over, some take a season or even more to recover from. You've got to do a lot of work yourself off the field, a lot of strengthening work and a lot of rehab.

"Losing a player is a big miss, people know what he's about and they see his record."

Francis notched nearly 40 goals during his career, a record that many fellow midfielders would be envious of.

Another midfielder McAnuff echoed the sentiments of Williamson by adding: "It's obviously a massive blow to Damo, he's a great lad and had a great career it's just a shame it had to end like this.

"All of our best wishes go out to him, he's a smart lad and I'm sure he'll find something else to take his time up with, it is a big blow."

McAnuff knew Francis before coming to Vicarage Road from their days together with the Crazy Gang at Wimbledon

The winger explains: "I was in the youth team when he made his breakthrough at Wimbledon, coming through a lot of us looked up to him because he came through the system and went on to the first team and done well.

"He was definitely a positive role model when we were coming through so we do go back a long way. It's a big blow to see that happen to somebody I've know for so long.

"He always managed to get a Premiership move, everywhere he went he proved what a good player he was and how valuable he was.

"He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and he'll be someone we're going to miss, unfortunately it's what happens in football and we've got to get on with it now."

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