- The driving instructor played 665 matches for six clubs as a goalkeeper
- He played for clubs such as Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Chelsea and Leeds
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A former Premier League star has swapped his life on the pitch for a life away from home.
Former goalkeeper Neil Sullivan retired from the sport in 2013 and has recently started working as a driving instructor.
The now 54-year-old made 665 appearances for six clubs during a 25-year career that saw him in goal for two of the ‘Big Six’ clubs – Chelsea and Tottenham.
Despite his impressive career and portfolio, Sullivan will always be remembered for his involvement in two of the Premier League’s most iconic goals.
Sullivan revealed to The Sun how he eventually became a driving instructor after devoting his entire life to football.
Neil Sullivan (pictured) is a former Premier League goalkeeper who is now a driving instructor
Neil Sullivan is a former goalkeeper who played for Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Chelsea, Leeds and Doncaster Rovers
The former goalkeeper said that ‘all I knew was football.’
‘T“The only thing I had done successfully outside was teaching my kids to drive, so this seemed like the perfect activity,” he added.
‘I work for Learn Driving UK. I have been training for a year and I started for real last month.
“It’s a world of difference from what I’ve done in the past, but it’s incredibly rewarding to help people succeed and get them back on track.”
Before changing careers earlier this year, Sullivan worked as part of the coaching staff at Leeds and until 12 months ago was in charge of Hull’s Under-18s team.
As Sullivan embarks on his new adventure, he may be recognised by Manchester United fans as he was the keeper who allowed David Beckham to score from the halfway line at Selhurst Park in 1996.
That’s not the only memorable goal the 54-year-old has scored between the posts. He also couldn’t stop Paolo Di Canio’s sublime volley at West Ham in 2000.
He said of the two goals: ‘That’s the life of a goalkeeper. For all the games, match-winning saves, clean sheets and penalty stops I’ve made, the two games that always come back are Becks and Di Canio’.
His time as a goalkeeper is remembered as the man between the posts for David Beckham’s halfway line screamer against Wimbledon
Sullivan was in goal for Di Canio’s sublime volley from the ground at West Ham in 2000
Still, the goals that Sullivan fired past weren’t all that bad. It was Beckham’s fine strike that earned him a call-up to the Scotland international.
Sully explains how Beckham’s goal benefited him: ‘A few months after that goal I did an interview with FourFourTwo magazine and said my grandfather was Scottish.
‘Then I got a phone call from Scotland manager Craig Brown. He had read it out or someone had shown it to him.
‘I ended up playing 28 times for Scotland and went to the World Cup in France in 1998,’ he added.
Sullivan began his professional career at the age of 16, after being spotted playing for Merton Borough.
Of his career he said: ‘They were a pretty good team and a lot of our matches were at Plough Lane, where I ended up playing for Wimbledon.
‘We had a couple of players in that team who went on to have successful careers in football: Graham Stuart and Jason Cundy.
Sully then made his debut for the Dons in a 2–1 win against Aston Villa in April 1991. However, he did not officially make his first-team debut until the 1994–95 season.
The now 54-year-old started his playing career at Wimbledon
He also played for Leeds United in the Championship
The Scotland international then left for Tottenham.
Speaking about his time at Spurs, Sullivan said: ‘When I got to White Hart Lane someone took my car and parked it. I honestly thought it had been stolen. It was completely different to Wimbledon.’
After leaving White Hart Lane he joined another London team, this time Chelsea.
He spent a year at the West London club before moving to Leeds. Sullivan ended his career at League One club Doncaster.