Former Premier League star switches sports as he accepts wild card in the rankings in a very different discipline

Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney enters the UK Open Pool Championship as a wildcard.

The World Nineball Tour Ranking event takes place at the Telford International Center from May 7th to May 12th.

And Deeney, who spent the majority of his career at Watford and scored 47 goals in 165 appearances in the top flight, will try his hand at a new discipline.

An official press release read: ‘The World Nineball Tour is delighted to announce that renowned footballer Troy Deeney will be gracing the tables as a wildcard player for the UK Open Pool Championship

‘Deeney, whose passion for sport transcends the football field, is ready to bring his competitive spirit to the pool area in the first Matchroom Major event of the year.

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‘As a wildcard entrant, the Ex-Watford FC superstar joins an elite field of players each competing for the prestigious title and the opportunity to showcase their skills on the UK stage.’

Deeney was most recently player-manager of League Two club Forest Green Rovers, but was sacked in January after just six games in charge.

Following the announcement Deeney said: ‘just a really interesting call coming from Matchroom.

‘Would I be interested in doing that and trying to put myself up against the best and more importantly shine a light and add some fame to the sport. Matchroom has been amazing in terms of developing every other sport they’ve been a part of.

Deeney (3rd left) made almost 400 appearances for Watford and scored 47 Premier League goals

‘I’ve been playing pool in lots of pool halls around the country with my friends as a social thing and I just thought why not try something different. I have always been an admirer of athletes in various sports, the commitment and number of hours it takes to become good at it.

‘It’s easy to sit at home and say I could have done it, but it’s quite another to get up and try to do it. Always grateful for new opportunities and learning.

‘There’s probably more pressure on whoever plays me because they don’t want to go out to this numpy with a big mouth! For me it’s kind of fun, of course the serious competitive nature comes out anyway, but if I lose to someone in the UK Open, is that a negative for me? None.

‘If they lose to me, then they will have to question themselves going forward. But for me it’s about having fun, showcasing UK Nineball Pool to a wider audience.

Deeney was sacked as player-manager of Forest Green Rovers after just six games

‘I hope that with the training we’ve had we can continue to develop and not make a fool of ourselves, that’s the aim. (Have you had lessons?) A little bit, I can’t say much about it because there will be some things around it, but we have some ex-pros helping us.

‘Everyone compares everything to football, but if you look at darts players who aren’t quite household names, it’s great for that generation that if I can help someone get the fame they deserve. You always have to respect the past to move forward.’