I played for Chelsea and Tottenham - now I've started a new role as a supply teacher

Clive Wilson played in the top flight for Manchester City, Chelsea, QPR and Tottenham but has since swapped the football pitch for the classroom as a teacher

A former Premier League star has traded in his boots for books, transitioning from silencing the country's top strikers to leading school classrooms. Clive Wilson graced the top flight with Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Wilson celebrated his 63rd birthday last Thursday. The versatile midfielder and fullback also had stints at Chester City and Cambridge United before hanging up his boots in 2000.

After working for Le Coq Sportif and Ted Baker, he decided to hit the books himself, earning a degree in sports science. This academic achievement paved the way for 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 on his timetable. He also steps in to teach maths, English, history and geography.

Reflecting on his career shift earlier this year, Wilson shared: "I started to work in education in 2008... 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 educators, believed his footballing aspirations had vanished when he departed school at 16 and pursued college studies to become an electrician.

But he was discovered playing at Hough End - Manchester's answer to London's Hackney Marshes - by a City scout and subsequently fulfilled his ambition.

He featured in the club's youth side that suffered defeat in the 1980 FA Youth Cup Final against Aston Villa, before making his first-team bow in a League Cup encounter with 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 moving south to 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 were demoted from the top flight that campaign, having lost a relegation play-off that existed at the time, which saw them face Middlesbrough from the second tier in a two-legged final. They recovered the following season, romping to the old Second Division championship with 99 points before he transferred to Queens Park Rangers.

It was boss Gerry Francis who converted him to play left-back and he started to flourish as a defender, courtesy of his pace and distribution skills. Over the subsequent four seasons, he was a consistent figure for Rangers, playing 172 league matches and scoring 12 goals, with all but one netted from the penalty spot.

He stated: "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 joined Francis at White Hart Lane, seizing his final opportunity to play for one of England's most prestigious clubs. After a four-year stint at Tottenham he transferred to Cambridge, but a string 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."