RYAN SIDEBOTTOM will be spending part of his Christmas break considering his retirement plans.

Yorkshire’s talismanic seamer, who hinted earlier this winter that 2017 would be his last year in the game, insists no final decision has been made on when to call time on his illustrious career.

The 38-year-old left-armer will take advice from his father Arnie and, once the festivities are over, White Rose director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

But he has left the door ajar to extend his playing days for another year after next.

“At this moment in time, I haven’t made a decision,” said the former Nottinghamshire and England man. “I review at the end of each year.

“Missing three or four months last season injured almost gave me a new lease of life when I came back into the team.

“I firmly believe if I’d have been fit for a few more games, we’d have won the Championship because I like to think I add something to the attack.

“I see myself as the senior guy others look up to. Not that I’m the best bowler, but I have to set the tone.

“I don’t know yet. Over Christmas, the next few weeks, I’ll mull it over and see where I’m at. I love playing and being in the battle. But we’ll have to wait and see.

“To do 20 years as a fast bowler, I’m very lucky. I’ve achieved a lot more than most in the game, so I’m very happy with my career so far.

“I always have conversations with dad and Frog (Martyn Moxon). I’ve known him since his playing days.

“I’ll liaise with him over the next few months and go from there.”

Whenever Sidebottom, who made his first-class debut in 1997 and has gone on to take more than 1,000 wickets across all formats, does decide to hang up his boots, he is keen to remain involved with the club as a coach.

“I wouldn’t want to be an Andrew Gale in terms of being a head honcho of a team, but I’d really like to bring through a few of the younger bowlers at the club, whether that be in the Academy or Scholarship,” he said.

“If the club want me around, I’d love to still be involved.”

Sidebottom’s career has seen him work under County Championship-winning coaches Wayne Clark and Jason Gillespie in his two spells at Headingley.

And he is confident that newly appointed first-team coach Andrew Gale can follow in the footsteps of the Australian duo and secure some silverware.

He added: “I’ll be totally honest, I was a bit surprised when I heard.

“I’m sure all coaches out of work would have wanted this job, so that was the surprise element. But he knows the club inside out, and it makes perfect sense.

“Being under Jason, I’m sure he will have seen what he did well and what he could have done better. The lads are fully behind him.”