DUNDEE UNITED number two Peter Houston last night urged Christian Kalvenes not to hang up his boots, writes Graeme Dey.

With a knee injury having prematurely ended his season, Kalvenes—who has declined the opportunity to renew his Tannadice contract—has been allowed to return to Norway early.

But before he left yesterday Houston implored the 31-year-old to ditch plans to quit playing for a return to university.

Prior to joining United two years ago Kalvenes was combining turning out for SK Brann with a part-time course in business studies.

Amongst the options he is weighing up is going back to studying, this time on a full-time basis.

According to Houston that would be a waste.

“Christian came in to say his cheerios so that’s him away for good,” said the United assistant boss.

“We’re really sorry to lose him but it was circumstances outwith our control which made him go back to Norway.

“Family obviously comes first but I urged him not to give up the game and get back playing over there.

“He’s a clever guy and he’s currently considering the possibility of going to university and studying up on what he was doing before he came here. He was specialising in business communications and wants to get back into that.

“But he’s far too good a player, and too experienced as well, to stop playing at this stage in his career.

“I think he’s probably playing the best football of his career.

“If he decides to pursue the university course again then he could maybe play part-time in his homeland.

“I hope he continues playing, on whatever basis, because he’d be a loss to football.”

Meanwhile, United will not be pursuing their interest in Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming, who now appears set to sign for Crewe.