The 32-year-old former Jack Hunt School student is not ready to retire just yet though, with a bronze medal his new priority after defeat to Australia in the Commonwealth Games semi-finals in Birmingham on Monday.
Playing alongside Charlie McIntyre, 17, Abderrahim Taghrest, 18, and Lee Baines, 20, Manning fell to a 13-12 loss to the Australians after contributing seven points.
Manning said: “I want to give all the credit to my young teammates. This is a learning experience and a tough one to take for us all, but the maturity that they've shown at this tournament and the preparation before has been impressive.
“The future's bright in their hands. They might need me to be a bit of a big brother, arm around the shoulder, but we'll be ok.
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“I was here to get gold, but any medal is special. To win it for England would be special. We'll come out to get that bronze and take it home with us.”
The encounter went down to the wire, a buzzer beater from Lachlin Dalton swinging it Australia’s way, leaving England to take on Malaysia in the fight for bronze on Tuesday (from 3pm).
Manning added: “All I can say is massive respect to Australia. They deserved it on the day. They played very well.
“I missed some easy shots that I back myself to make, but I'll take that on the chin.
“We've got to dust ourselves off, come back out and put on a show for the amazing crowd here and get that bronze medal.”
Gunthorpe gymnast Jake Jarman goes for his fourth gold medal in the vault competition on Tuesday (1pm).