Former Premier League footballer Clive Wilson, who once graced the pitches for Manchester City, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham, has traded in his boots for a blackboard. The versatile midfielder and full-back also had stints at Chester City and Cambridge United before retiring from professional football in 2000.

After hanging up his boots, he worked for Le Coq Sportif and Ted Baker before deciding to pursue a degree in sports science. This academic endeavour led him to a career in education, and since 2019, he’s been teaching PE at Roding Valley High School in Loughton, Essex.

But it’s not just sports that he teaches; he also steps in as a substitute teacher for maths, English, history and geography.

Earlier this year, Wilson shared how he stumbled into teaching. “I started to work in education in 2008,” he explained. “The odd thing was I fell into teaching by pure fluke. I was at a golf driving range one day and there was a lovely guy there who was a Fulham fan and recognised me as a former footballer and asked what I was doing.

“He talked to me about the possibility of teaching. He suggested I should pop to a couple of local schools and have a look at them with no pressure, purely just to see what I thought.”

“I went along more as something to rule out really. However, it had the complete opposite effect and I really thought it would be the type of job that I would enjoy. I’m so grateful for his advice at the range. I haven’t looked back!”

Wilson, whose two siblings are also teachers, believed his football dreams had vanished when he left school at 16 to study electrical work at college.

However, a City scout spotted him playing at Hough End, Manchester’s answer to London’s Hackney Marshes, and his ambitions were reignited.

He featured in the club’s youth side that were runners-up in the 1980 FA Youth Cup Final against Aston Villa, before his senior debut arrived in a League Cup match against Stoke City in 1981 – a 2-0 victory. He remained at Maine Road for eight years, apart from a brief loan spell at Chester, before heading to the capital to join Chelsea.

He said: “I liked the idea of playing for a club in London but then I had the biggest culture shock in terms of trying to find anywhere affordable to live!”

“I realise it’s nearly 40 years ago but you could get a three-bedroom house in Sale for £35,000. In London I was lucky if I could buy a garage for that!”

Chelsea dropped out of the top division that campaign, having lost a relegation play-off, which existed back then, seeing them face Middlesbrough from the second tier in a two-legged decider.

They recovered the following season, romping to the old Second Division championship with 99 points, before his departure to Queens Park Rangers.

It was boss Gerry Francis who converted him to left-back and he started to flourish as a defender, utilising his pace and distribution skills. Over the next four seasons, he was a consistent presence for Rangers, playing 172 league games and scoring 12 goals, with all but one scored from the penalty spot.

He said: “We finished fifth in the first all-new Premier League campaign in 1992-93 followed by another top-half finish the following season.

“Then I think Gerry had a falling out with the club over the sale of Les Ferdinand and soon after he moved to Tottenham as manager.”

In 1995, Wilson reunited with Francis at White Hart Lane, seizing his final opportunity to play for one of England’s biggest clubs. After a four-year stint at Tottenham, he transferred to Cambridge, but a series of injuries led him to decide it was time to hang up his boots.

He expressed: “I loved my time as a player and I often get kids ask me why I am a teacher when I used to be a top-flight footballer. There is a concept that top-flight footballers have always been well paid.

“It was a different time in English football. But I would never complain about it.”