Top 10 Jobs Players Had Before Becoming Footballers

Steve Savidan - Binman

The journeyman forward took an unconventional route to the top via stints in several pubs as a barman and topping up his income as a binman while playing in the lower reaches of French football.

Proved that determination can overcome adversity by rescuing his career inspiring Valenciennes to successive promotions and even earning a cap for France. Was all set to complete the dream with a fairytale move to glitzy Monaco last summer before his medical revealed a heart defect and Savidan was forced to retire aged just 31.

Savidan: Bin there, done that

Mat Mitchel King - Body Double

Strutted the catwalk as a model for Armani and was employed as Rio Ferdinand's official body double for a Nike campaign before signing pro forms with Crewe Alexandra in the summer. Quipped that he costs far less than Rio, and he may well be drafted in to cover him again at United given the club's recent injury crisis.

Roar Strand - Chimney Sweep

The Ryan Giggs of Norway, Strand has clocked up an astonishing 15 league titles with Rosenborg in his trophy-laden career.

Similar to the Welshman, Strand performed at his best under a strict disciplinarian - Nils Arne Eggen - who demanded his players to either study or have a second job away from the game. While many favoured the classroom, the midfielder went down, quite literally, a different route and worked as a chimney sweep.

Julio Cruz - Gardener

El Jardinero earned his green fingered nickname for working as a groundskeeper at his local football club in Argentina.

According to legend, he was asked by the Banfield coach to deputise for an injured player and made such an impression that he was promptly offered a contract. The whereabouts of his lawnmower remain unknown but it has been linked to a recent fight with David Beckham...

Cruz: A Grass act

Waddle: Singer, sausage seasoner, dribbler, genius

Jose: I understand everything

Sir Alex Ferguson - Apprentice Tool-Maker/Chef

Fergie's famous no nonsense approach to superstars stems from his own working class background in the harsh shipyards of Scotland.

Long before alice bands were even invented, the amateur player was an apprentice tool-maker in his native Govan where he slogged away for five years before eventually turning pro aged 23. As an apprentice, Ferguson showed some of the leadership skills when he became a trade union shop-steward and organised an unofficial walk-out for his colleagues over a pay dispute.

Decades later, the canny Scot would get his friend George Graham to fax over his lucrative Arsenal contract so Ferguson could embarrass the Old Trafford paymasters over his paltry salary which was then miles shy of his top players.

Fiery chef Gordon Ramsay may have had some competition in the culinary/shouting department if Ferguson had pursued his cooking career when he was 30. He donned an apron and worked the stove for 18-months in a restaurant close to Hampden Park before deciding to concentrate solely on his football career.

Fergie: Anyone for pasta?

Moreno Torricelli - Factory Carpenter

Opportunity knocked for the factory carpenter when he stood out for amateur side Caratese in a pre-season friendly against Juventus in the summer of 1992.

The Bianconeri's then-coach Giovanni Trapattoni loved his endeavour and shelled out 20 million lira to bring him to Turin. A year later he was playing alongside Roberto Baggio when the Old Lady thumped Borussia Dortmund to win the UEFA Cup. Not a frequent goalscorer with Juve as he was more fond of the woodwork.

Peter Schmeichel - Cleaner/Carpet Fitter etc

Turned his hand to a variety of tasks including working for 12-months as a cleaner in a retirement home before he hit the big time.

The goalkeeper was also an apprentice carpet fitter, sold advertising for a newspaper and ran a charity shop for the World Wildlife Fund before joining Manchester United in 1991. Now fronts 'Dirty Jobs' on the Discovery Channel.

Schmeichel relaxes after work

Grafite: Anything but trash