Essendon veteran David Myers has announced his retirement, after penning a letter to Bomber fans.

Myers played 123 games for Essendon after he was selected by the Bombers with the sixth pick in the 2007 draft, and was named in the club's leadership group last year.

The letter can be found in full below.

To the loyal supporters of this great football club,

Football is a brutal game, and it requires you to give every part of yourself in order to have a chance at being successful.

I have known for a while that I no longer carry the level of drive and motivation that the game demands and that my teammates and coaches deserve.

I know in myself that the time is right for me to step away from the game at the end of this season and allow others to have the chance to live their dream.

I have a genuine love for the football club and for the people within it, and I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to wear the red and black for the past 12 years.

I’d like to thank my teammates, coaches, the fans, and most importantly my friends and family who have supported me throughout the journey and who have been there unconditionally in the good times and in the bad.

With both the AFL and VFL sides about to embark on finals, it is an exciting time to be at the football club and I look forward to finishing the year strongly as we continue to drive towards the success we are all craving.

Seeing the growth of our younger players this year has given me immense satisfaction, and as an Essendon person, I can’t wait to sit back and see what the future holds.

Go Bombers.

David Myers