CREWE have settled the contract of summer signing Tommie Hoban after the defender's decision to retire from professional football.

Alex boss Dave Artell confirmed that Hoban, 27, informed him of his decision ahead of the opening game of the season on August 7.

The former Watford and Aberdeen centre-half only joined Crewe on July 1.

"I had a text off Tommie on the Wednesday before the Cheltenham game and he said he didn't feel quite right. He told me he was retiring on the phone and I've not seen him since," revealed Artell.

"The contract had to be settled over the last week - unfortunately Tommie has decided to retire."

Hoban was part of the Watford side clinching a Premiership place in 2015 and with later spells with Blackburn and Aberdeen he looked an astute signing ready to offer a wealth of experience to Crewe's revamped back four.

But his career had been hit by two serious knee injuries, the second of which he fought back from to win a contract with the Scottish Premier side for whom he made 44 appearances last term.

Artell added: "Tommie has had two cruciate injuries and he said he'd been thinking about it (retiring) for a while, over the last 15 to 18 months.

"We wish him all the best although the timing isn't best only six weeks into the contract.

"Whatever career path he chooses to go down we wish him well. It was a bit of a shock, but there's no hard feelings from me."

Artell was able to clinch a deal with another central defender Terell Thomas, 25, last Friday and the former AFC Wimbledon player was on the bench in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.

The Crewe boss says the deal had been in the pipeline early in the summer transfer window, but took nearly two months to complete. A bonus is that with Thomas having spent time in pre-season with Brentford's shadow development squad he is "fit and ready" for League One action.

"He (Thomas) fills the gap that Tommie has left," added Artell, who expects more transfer business to be completed this week.

A young winger at a Premiership club is expected to join on loan.

And the Alex boss revealed: "We're hoping that there will be more in this week - certainly one, if not two.

"We've got a really important couple of weeks coming up and not just in terms of the game, but bringing players in."

Crewe face a stiff challenge at Oxford tomorrow (Tuesday) night and will check on the fitness of Owen Dale beforehand after the attacker soldiered through most of the first half on Saturday feeling the effects of a sickness bug.