text: Bolton Wanderers defender Marc Tierney is poised to announce his retirement on Thursday. The 29-year-old left-back fractured his ankle playing against Yeovil in September 2013 and following a series of operations and advice from specialists in America he has been forced to cut short his career. Tierney, who joined Bolton from Norwich, was set for a call up to the Republic of Ireland squad prior to his injury. Bolton defender Marc Tierney has been forced to take early retirement following a long-term ankle injury . Tierney started his career at Oldham Athletic in 2003 , rising through the ranks at the club's academy and making 44 appearances for the first-team, before a switch to Shrewsbury Town four years later. He spent another four years at Shrewsbury, with one of those a loan spell at Colchester United. He then moved to Colchester permanently before signing for Norwich in 2010, where he was part of the Canaries side that won promotion to the Premier League. After being released from Carrow Road, Tierney had established himself as Bolton's first-choice left-back. Tierney (left), during his Norwich days, tracks Everton's attacking midfielder Royston Drenthe (right)
target: Bolton left-back Marc Tierney is set to hang up his boots .
  The 29-year-old has been forced into early retirement after failing to recover from a fractured ankle suffered against Yeovil in September 2013 .
  He underwent a series of operations and received specialist advice .