From Champions League footballer to plumber and business owner, Lee Roche's career trajectory serves as a stark reminder of football's unpredictable nature.
The former Manchester United defender, who started against Deportivo La Coruna in Europe's elite competition in 2003, retired from professional football at just 27 years old.
Now 44, the Bolton-born ex-player works in construction and runs a cavity wall insulation business.
His journey from Old Trafford to building sites illustrates the harsh reality facing many young footballers who don't secure long-term careers at the highest level.
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|Lee Roche played for United three times - including against Arsenal and in the Champions League
Roche progressed through United's academy system under Sir Alex Ferguson's management.
Though he never became a first-team regular, he made several appearances for the club he'd supported since childhood.
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His most memorable moment came in March 2003 when Ferguson selected him to start against Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League.
With United having already qualified for the knockout stages, the manager fielded several young players alongside experienced campaigners like Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Laurent Blanc.
Roche played the entire first half in Spain before being substituted at the interval with United trailing 1-0. The team eventually lost 2-0 in their final second group stage match.
United released Roche on a free transfer in summer 2003, marking the beginning of his descent through football's lower tiers.
He joined Burnley, followed by stints at Wrexham and Droylsden, before retiring from the sport entirely at 27.
The transition from professional football to manual labour proved challenging.
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|Lee Roche eventually went on to play for Burnley before retiring in 2011
"The way things have turned out I've had to work, I've been working here for nearly three years and it's a bit of a change from playing football, but you just have to get on with it," Roche told LFETV in 2012.
With support from the PFA, he retrained as a qualified plumber whilst establishing his cavity wall insulation enterprise.
Roche's experience has shaped his perspective on football careers and their fragility.
"Definitely not. Especially when you sign for a club as big as Manchester United. You think you're going to be playing football until you're 35," he said when asked if he'd expected to leave football at 27.
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|Lee Roche now runs his own business after ditching football at 27
"I do think young players today should be made to train as something, so they know about the real world.
Most of them probably don't have a plan to fall back on if they don't make it as a professional.
"I have had a few fellow workers on the building sites asking me about United and how have I ended up here.
"It can get pretty tiresome so I don't go shouting about that I played for United."