'I played for Chelsea and Tottenham but quit football to become a driving instructor'

The career of a Premier League footballer can be rewarding but equally challenging, often due to the short lifespan of a professional player. In modern times, it is easier for retiring footballers to find a path into another career when their playing days are over – be it coaching, punditry or even as a sporting director.

But there are some footballers who lead a quieter life out of the limelight and want a normal job to keep their head above water once the big bucks stop rolling in.

Neil Sullivan is firmly in that category.

With over 650 games for six clubs spanning 25 years in English football, Sullivan is a name synonymous with the purist era of English football, where foreign ownership was almost unheard of and teams such as Chelsea and Manchester City hadn’t even won their first Premier League title.

At the height of his career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Sullivan was a regular presence in goal for Wimbledon before joining Tottenham, where he played in their League Cup final defeat in 2001-02. The former Scotland international went on to join Chelsea as a reserve goalkeeper, then Leeds United, Doncaster Rovers and AFC Wimbledon.

After retiring in 2013, Sullivan decided to swap his goalkeeping gloves for a clipboard in the passenger’s seat, as he began his new life as a driving instructor for Learn Driving UK in North Yorkshire.

He briefly entered into coaching at Leeds United and also worked with Hull City’s Under-18s up until last year. While he admits it’s an entirely different world to the one he used to belong to, there is some enjoyment to take from his new career path behind the wheel.

“The only thing I had done successfully outside playing was teach my kids to drive, so it seemed the perfect thing to do,” Sullivan told The Sun. “It’s a world away from what I have done in the past but it’s incredibly satisfying helping people pass and getting them out on the road,” Sullivan added.

“I’ve been in Harrogate for the past 20 years having moved up from London. I am really excited to share my knowledge and help people gain their independence and freedom that learning to drive can bring in a calm, safe and enjoyable environment.

“I will not just teach you how to pass your driving test. I will teach you to be able to drive in all weather conditions, on all roads, day or night economically, considerately and above all else safely.”

The 54-year-old, like many goalkeepers, is famous for the goals he conceded rather the ones he prevented. He was standing between the sticks for Wimbledon when a young David Beckham beat him with an audacious effort from the halfway line for Manchester United in 1996.

“That’s the life of a keeper,” Sullivan added. “For all the games, match-winning saves, clean sheets and penalty stops I made, the two matches that always come up are Becks and Di Canio.”

While being a goalkeeper is often a thankless task, Sullivan is still fondly remembered for his exploits in goal at his former club. Now, he is thriving in a similar gatekeeping role: keeping his students safe on the road.