Troy Deeney is set to make a surprise career change after competing in a national pool competition.
The striker, who spent over five seasons playing in the Premier League with Watford, will be a wildcard entrant into the UK Open Pool Championship.
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The competition will welcome the most talented players from across Britain to Telford. The tournament will take place from May 7 to 12, an event which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Deeney said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be playing in the UK Open Pool Championship.
“I always imagined myself on the training ground table with the
boys, so when this opportunity presented itself I jumped at the chance to test myself against some of the best players in the world and can’t wait to compete on May 7th.
Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “We are delighted to welcome Troy Deeney to the UK Pool Open as a wild card player.
“His presence will undoubtedly increase the excitement and competitiveness of this iconic World Nineball Tour event.”
The move to pool comes after Deeney’s first foray into management ended in disappointment.
After leaving Birmingham City as a player, the 35-year-old joined Forest Green Rovers as player-manager last summer before replacing David Horseman as head coach in December.
However, Deeney’s reign lasted less than a month as he failed to win in six matches and he was also criticized for publicly criticizing a number of his players.
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Club owner Dale Vince later told talkSPORT that Deeney’s post-match outburst after the defeat to Hartlepool was a factor in his decision.
Deeney scored 182 goals during his 20-year playing career, including 140 for Watford.
