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With more than 200 games for Leicester Tigers under his belt, including 36 Heineken Cup appearances, the 36-year-old hooker is hoping to end on a high note by guiding the Tigers into the top European tournament next season with a strong finish in the Zurich Premiership and Play-Offs.
"I have had a few injuries and it's getting more and more difficult to train every day. I think it's about time to quit," West told the Leicester Mercury.
"We've got three league games left and, hopefully, two in the play-offs. Then I'm finishing.
"I'd like to go into coaching. I'm keeping my options open at the minute, but there are a few jobs I'm having a look at."
The odlest man to appear in a World Cup semi-final, West won 17 caps for England despite being born in North Wales. He was an unused replacement during England's World Cup final triumph over Australia earlier this season and was awarded an MBE on his return.
West, a former member of an armed police response unit, began his senior career as a flanker at Nottingham and didn't switch to the front row for four years.
Once he joined Leicester it took him eight years to earn his 1st XV tie for playing 20 first-team games. He had to understudy Richard Cockerill for much of his time at the club, but was still regarded good enough to play for England at the age of 30.
He made his first full appearance for England at 33 and went on to captain his country six months short of his 36th birthday.
At 33 he answered an SOS call from the British and Irish Lions in Australia to join them as a late replacement in 2000.
He was a Heineken Cup winner with the Tigers in 2001 in Paris, when they beat Stade Francais at Parc des Princes, and again the next year after another epic final triumph over Munster at the Millennium Stadium.
