You're not retired? Six ex-Premier League players still going strong (sort of) in the Football League
These six ex-Premier League players have dropped down the pyramid for a late-career Football League swansong and some are faring better than others…
Last summer’s version of this article featured some not-so-memorable inclusions, with former Chelsea starlet Michael Mancienne and ex-Newcastle man James Perch among them.
And with the 2023/24 season fast approaching, it’s time for a fresh list of former top-flight footballers who you might be surprised to hear are still swerving retirement to boot a ball around for a living at a Football League club.
Asmir Begovic (QPR)
The former Chelsea and Stoke City goalkeeper became a free agent earlier this summer after spending two years as chief back-up to the resurgent Jordan Pickford at Everton.
The big Bosnian had the chance to stay in the Premier League heading into next season as newly-promoted Luton Town were interested. But he has taken the baffling decision to drop down to the Championship for a season with QPR.
Gareth Ainsworth’s side needed a new shot-stopper after their financial troubles forced them to cash in on Middlesbrough newbie Seny Dieng and despite being aged 36, Begovic should be a steady pair of hands for QPR in the second tier.
Curtis Davies (Cheltenham Town)
The 38-year-old had spells in the Premier League with four teams (West Brom, Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Hull City), but he has spent more time in the Championship than the top flight.
The centre-back has flourished during the latter stages of his career as a leader at Hull City and Derby County, with him admirably leading from the front during the latter club’s battle to stay afloat while in administration.
Davies slipped down the pecking order for Derby last term and after being released – being the nice chap he is – he’s decided to do former Birmingham teammate Wade Elliott (now Cheltenham Town manager) a favour by penning a one-year deal with the bottom-half League One side.
Matt Derbyshire (Bradford City)
From Blackburn Rovers to Olympiacos to Nottingham Forest to Omonia Nicosia, Derbyshire has certainly been around the block during his 21-year professional career. And let’s not forget his stellar spell at my beloved Rotherham United between 2014 and 2016; it’s been downhill for him ever since.
The former England U21 international has had spells in Cyprus, Australia and India over the past seven years and he’s now crashed right back down to earth with his move to Bradford to link back up with ex-Blackburn boss Mark Hughes.
The Fox in the Box penned an 18-month contract in January 2023 and after Bradford suffered play-off heartache in 2022/23, Hughes’ side will be hoping that the 37-year-old can roll back the years to fire them towards a long-awaited return to League One.
Andy King (Bristol City)
King – who was previously just a fringe Premier League-level player like the rest of Leicester’s 2015/16 squad – was hauled upwards during the Foxes’ 5000-1 Claudio Ranieri-inspired journey to become top-flight champions.
The central midfielder spent Leicester’s Premier League title-winning season as a useful back-up to N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater and like every member of that squad – barring the likeable Frenchman, Riyad Mahrez and perhaps Jamie Vardy – King’s career has unsurprisingly been on a downward trajectory downhill after adding to his Championship and League One winner’s medals with the Foxes.
King will not mind too much about that as he achieved something far beyond his wildest dreams at the King Power Stadium. He’s since followed several other players in this list to reunite with a former manager, as he’s back working under name-caller Nigel Pearson (“you are an ostrich”) at Bristol City.
Kyle Naughton (Swansea City)
The Sheffield United academy product was snapped up by Tottenham back in 2009 as part of a £9m double deal including Kyle Walker.
Of the two Kyles, Walker made this transfer worthwhile on his own and since leaving Tottenham, he’s emerged as one of the best full-backs in the world for Treble-winning Manchester City. And Naughton has gone the other way and ended up in the Championship.
Naughton can be forgiven for looking at Walker’s achievements with a jealous glance. I mean, he can now even ‘pull his penis out’ in a bar and because he’s great at football, the main (rather tame) response from the public was along the lines of: “Oh, what is Kyle like? The cheeky scamp. He is a lad.”
Tottenham’s record of signing young players from the Football League is chequered at best, so the odds were always that Walker and/or Naughton were going to struggle and sadly for the latter, he’s drawn the short straw. After failing to cut it at Spurs, he’s made over 250 appearances for Swansea City… so it’s not all bad I suppose.
Scott Sinclair (Bristol Rovers)
Sinclair being managed by Joey Barton in League One with Bristol Rovers is peak Football Manager vibes and I feel pretty old that it is now a reality.
The ex-England U21 international is among a growing list of former Chelsea youngsters who have failed to reach their full potential, but he did at least earn plaudits from his impressive spells at Swansea City and Celtic.
The 34-year-old became a product of Bristol Rovers’ academy before his move to Chelsea and he’s now back where it all started. He’s still got a bit left in the tank after grabbing six goals and three assists in 22/23 but with his contract up in 2024, this upcoming season may be his last before calling it a day after a pretty rounded (but underwhelming) career.
