Welford Road said an emotional thank you to Louis Deacon on Saturday following his retirement from professional rugby.Deacon, who announced his retirement last month, was presented to a capacity 24,000 crowd before kick-off against Exeter Chiefs and received a fantastic ovation from the Tigers Family.   Deacon said: “It’s not my sort of thing to be the centre of attention but it was a really nice touch from the club and the supporters to do that for me. It was nice that I could get a send-off.   “It was an amazing reception from the fans and I am very grateful.   “I was a bit emotional. It was not until I walked off that I realised it would be my last time on the pitch at Welford Road.”   Deacon made 274 appearances for Tigers as part of a squad that won six Premiership titles and became champions of Europe twice. He was twice voted Tigers Players' Player of the Season and won the first of his 29 Test caps with England in 2005.   You can watch our #thanksDeacs video looking back at Deacon’s career in a Tigers shirt by clicking here    Now Deacon is embarking on the next stage of his career, which included gaining experience with the Tigers sponsorship and community departments as well as coaching with the Spain squad during their European Championships campaign.   Deacon said: “I'd like to thank all of the players, coaches and staff who have been part of my career and also thank all of the Tigers supporters. I wish the Tigers all the very best for the future. “But now it is time to take on a new challenge, whether that is in the game or somewhere else.”