What do ‘modern day’ pro footballers do when they retire?

[Mala591]

Do they still become salesmen, run a pub/shop/chippie or even become a bus driver?

Personally I’d watch numerous past episodes of ‘Homes under the hammer’ and become a property renovator/developer.

What does the future hold for our current pro footballers?

[Bosscat]

Simon Garner is a "Painter and Decorator"

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... s-striker/

[Burnleyareback2]

Simon Garner is a "Painter and Decorator"

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... s-striker/

Doesn’t sound as good in his song.

[ClaretTony]

Just thinking back to the team that won the league and what they did

Blacklaw - newsagent & then publican
Angus - market garden
Elder - car salesman
Adamson - stayed in football
Cummings - publican
Miller - sweet shop then newsagent
Connelly - chippy
McIlroy - journalist
Pointer - stayed in football
Robson - stayed in football
Pilkington - estate agent

Seith - chiropodist
Meredith - teacher

Totally different world now for top flight footballers

[dougcollins]

Whatever they wish.

[summitclaret]

Tattoo removal? It's the future.

[mdd2]

Split into two groups
Group 1 declared bankrupt due to poor financial management
Group 2 Live a life of Riley having managed their affairs in an orderly manner

[beddie]

It must be very difficult for some who’ve known nothing else but football. There appears to be a lot more education out there available for players these days through their respective clubs encouraging them to look ahead and to enrol on various courses in preparation for their retirement from football. Funnily enough I recently wondered what certain players are doing these days, if anything, Chris Eagles and Glenn Little sprung to mind.

[NottsClaret]

Split into two groups
Group 1 declared bankrupt due to poor financial management
Group 2 Live a life of Riley having managed their affairs in an orderly manner

I was going to say that, going bankrupt seems to be by far the most popular post-career move for them.

[Quicknick]

Just thinking back to the team that won the league and what they did

Blacklaw - newsagent & then publican
Angus - market garden
Elder - car salesman
Adamson - stayed in football
Cummings - publican
Miller - sweet shop then newsagent
Connelly - chippy
McIlroy - journalist
Pointer - stayed in football
Robson - stayed in football
Pilkington - estate agent

Seith - chiropodist
Meredith - teacher

Totally different world now for top flight footballers

I'd no idea that McIlroy used to be a journalist.

[Bosscat]

Doesn’t sound as good in his song.

[tarkys_ears]

In my experience (big enough in their day but hardly worldwide names) they have about 8 kids to 3 different women and spend their later years paying it all off whilst living quite modest lives.

[IanMcL]

Just thinking back to the team that won the league and what they did

Blacklaw - newsagent & then publican
Angus - market garden
Elder - car salesman
Adamson - stayed in football
Cummings - publican
Miller - sweet shop then newsagent
Connelly - chippy
McIlroy - journalist
Pointer - stayed in football
Robson - stayed in football
Pilkington - estate agent

Seith - chiropodist
Meredith - teacher

Totally different world now for top flight footballers

At least they didnt go back to the mines!

[IanMcL]

They probably gave to spend time avoiding the tax man.

[FigSlice]

Jimmy McIlroy was our milkman, late 60s or early 70s. Came round on Friday(?) evenings to collect the money.

[ArmchairDetective]

See Mathieu Flamini for how to do it right.

[IanMcL]

Here's one I admire. Didier Drogba.

In 2018, Drogba retired from professional football at the age of 40.

Active in social issues in Africa, Drogba played a vital role in the peace process in his home country. In 2007 he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and in December 2018 he became Vice President of the international organization Peace and Sport.

[ClaretTony]

I'd no idea that McIlroy used to be a journalist.

Burnley Express for a good number of years when it was a proper newspaper

[Paul Waine]

I joined a waking football session at Kingsmeadow, Kingston yesterday morning. Of course, the first topic of conversation was Burnley's win at Luton on Tuesday evening. The session is run by Chelsea Community Foundation. Their coach, however, is a Middlesbrough fan, and they'd also won Tuesday night. There was a new guy there - at least I'd not seen him at the session before, but the Chelsea coaches seemed to know him. When it was mentioned I was a Burnley fan he said that he'd been a good friend of Ian Britton (RIP) and that Ian had scored in the Orient game. We chatted more over a coffee after the WF session. He was Gary Chivers, centre half for Chelsea, Swansea, QPR and Brighton (I think) when Chelsea were division 2 (and were nearly relegated to Div 3). He spoke about the absence of preparation for life after football, one day everything is organised by the club and then it's over. Wikipedia says he bought a stretch limo and was a taxi driver for a time. He also spoke about doing some "data work" - this was before data science was the big thing. He told me about getting involved in "corporate" stuff at Brighton and going to Stamford Bridge when Brighton were playing there. One of the Chelsea staff recognised him and asked him what he was doing. He asked him "are you interested in corporate role" and suggested call him at the end of the season. Gary Chivers said he didn't wait until the end of the season, he called the guy at Christmas. So, he switched from Brighton to Chelsea on the corporate support side. He was at the Foundation WF because he's added that to his activities. Mid-60s, I guess, now. Still needs to work. Still needs to pick up a little work here a little work there. Nice guy to chat with.

[Sleeping Cat]

15-20 years ago they all seemed to invest in property, easy money maker at the time until the bubble burst.

Last 10 years a bit trickier to pin down, the booming tech market not exactly a natural transition for former sportsmen other than Crypto & NFTs.

I think we will see the rise of the "investor" with loads of ex pros joining/establishing investment firms, probably in sports industry but maybe open to other industries like nutrition. They'll have a LinkedIn page, call themselves a "Founder" or "CEO" of X company and then post lots of pictures on their social media of themselves with a laptop, bloomberg on in the background saying something like "Money never sleeps" or something.

[Hipper]

Just thinking back to the team that won the league and what they did

Blacklaw - newsagent & then publican
Angus - market garden
Elder - car salesman
Adamson - stayed in football
Cummings - publican
Miller - sweet shop then newsagent
Connelly - chippy
McIlroy - journalist
Pointer - stayed in football
Robson - stayed in football
Pilkington - estate agent

Seith - chiropodist
Meredith - teacher

Totally different world now for top flight footballers

... and Gordon Harris went back to the coal pit, albeit on the surface.

[Commy]

Was it Keith Newton that had the newsagents across from Ewood?

[ClaretTony]

Was it Keith Newton that had the newsagents across from Ewood?

He had a newsagents in Blackburn but it was nowhere near Ewood

[Nori1958]

He had a newsagents in Blackburn but it was nowhere near Ewood

It was on sudell cross in the town centre.... Spent many hours in there chatting

[spt_claret]

I've noticed a lot of European league players, especially ex Serie A, start businesses. Flamini already mentioned, Pique is another smart one, but Clarence Seedorf I think has a restaurant, Totti a fashion line, and although they're still in football Pirlo has a vineyard and Gattuso a fish shop/restaurant - which was apparently his childhood dream.

[Accrington claret]

He had a newsagents in Blackburn but it was nowhere near Ewood

He also worked as a sales rep at Mercer print in Accrington when i worked there

[Tricky Trevor]

I wikied Craig Johnston last night. Don’t know why his name popped into my head but I remembered he retired very young to go back to Oz to tend his seriously ill sister. I also knew he had invented a new grip for football boots that was a success, it was the prototype for the Adidas Predator.
Turns out he carried on inventing including another football boot, known as the PIG but correctly the Patented Interactive Grip, the Traxion sole for boots and a software program the Butler to let hotels know what has been taken out of the minibars and a gameshow.
It was not all good news though after a business disaster he was bankrupted and is now working as a photographer.
He’s certainly not wasted his life and good on him.

[ClaretTony]

It was on sudell cross in the town centre.... Spent many hours in there chatting

Couldn't tell you the name of the road but it was at the bottom of Preston New Road

[Nori1958]

Couldn't tell you the name of the road but it was at the bottom of Preston New Road

Yep, right at the very bottom

Lovely guy

[ClaretTony]

Yep, right at the very bottom

Lovely guy

Keith & his wife were lovely people - so sad for him to lose his life so young

[JohnMac]

Golf courses and Sun loungers if they have any sense and stay away from dodgy financial advisers, gambling and drugs!

[clarethomer]

Robbie Fowler went heavy in property from what I remember. Michael Owen has his stables and clearly there is punditry for a number of ex pros.

Vinney seems to have his fingers in lots of pies and have moved into other roles within the game.

Neville, property, football clubs, hotels etc.

Beckham - club owner as well as multiple brand deals etc.

Pretty sure my daughter has said an ex burnley player Alex Ray Harvey was at a local school teaching PE - not sure if he was permanent or just there under some other capacity?

Paul Weller - sells cars off vivary way colne

Sure someone mentioned Jack Clarke's agent was Ian Harte - ex leeds player

Some interesting ones on here. https://www.thesportster.com/soccer/top ... ry-teacher

[ClaretinJapan]

John Chiedozie - Bouncy castle business owner.

Ken Monkou - Pancake cook

Gavin Peacock - Pastor

David May - Wine Importer

Arjan de Zeeuw - private detective.

Ashley Barnes - fisherman (suggested)

[IanMcL]

I suspect Ashley Barnes will become a JCB.

[bfcjg]

Peter Noble had the brilliant market stall

[Fretters]

Not an ex claret, but Iain Dowie works at a law firm in Hapton.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... w-signing/

[Billyblah]

John Barnes, currently allegedly running up a £238k unpaid tax bill and being persued through the courts by HMRC
Mickey Thomas previously convicted of money laundering
Neil (Razor) Ruddock featured on an episode of the tv series "Can't pay, we'll take it away"

[dsr]

George Weah became President of Liberia, but I suppose they can't all follow that career path.

[GordonvaleClaret]

I always thought Pilky was a mechanic at a garage in Leyland.

[Tricky Trevor]

A few have become agents. Trevor Steven and Stephen Ireland, Nathan Collins is with him, spring to mind.

[GetIntoEm]

Not an ex claret, but Iain Dowie works at a law firm in Hapton.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... w-signing/

wonder if that had an impact on the fact that they have closed owing £3m in debt

[Fretters]

wonder if that had an impact on the fact that they have closed owing £3m in debt

Oh wow, didn't know that. He'll struggle for another job in Hapton, wonder if he's tried the Hapton Inn?

[ecc]

I'm reliably informed that Gareth Taylor invested in property à la Robbie Fowler.

[Petersa]

I always thought Pilky was a mechanic at a garage in Leyland.

Pilky I can assure you was an estate agent for Smith and Hodgkinson in Chorley. I have no idea if they still exist. He sold my mothers house. Very nice man

[SammyBoy]

Richard Eckersley has a vegan food shop, or something like that. Got to wonder whether that guy was actually a footballer or won a competition.

[Tw@]

Wasn’t Leighton James a lollipop man at one point?

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

Billy Day ex Middlesbrough from the same era as Brian Clough became a racecourse bookmaker

[colne-claret]

See Mathieu Flamini for how to do it right.

Was reading he’s worth 10 billion now. Amazing effort.