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FOOTBALL PLAYERS often switch to coaches or experts once they call it a day and hang up their boots.

Many of course decide against that route, but it’s rare to see a former professional hit the road to become a driving instructor.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Carl Muggleton is the exception, with the Englishman now running his own business teaching the next generation the rules of the road.

The stopper, who spent six months at Parkhead in 1994, decided to remain involved with the beautiful game when he retired in 2008 before embarking on the unusual new career.

After leaving Mansfield Town, where he played his last game, he joined Notts County as a part-time goalkeeping coach.

He then teamed up with Gillingham in a similar role before leaving for Barnet in 2016.

Muggleton was appointed head of recruiting at Chesterfield in May 2018, but left the club in December of that year after manager Martin Allen was sacked.

But despite keeping himself busy with various clubs in recent years, he has also decided to become a qualified instructor and has established himself on the trail for over five years.

The 54-year-old has helped hundreds of people get their license through his Carl Muggleton driving school.

However, he is still heavily involved in football and also takes time to help young goalkeepers with the Northern Ireland Under-21 team.

Muggleton played for 14 clubs over his 22-year career and had a brief spell with the Hoops when he joined the club in January 1994.

He spent the remainder of the 1993/94 season at Celtic and made 12 top-flight appearances in that time.

The former England youth international was signed by Leicester manager Lou Macari and left Glasgow in the summer after Tommy Burns took over as manager in March.

It was a season to forget for the Celts as they finished the campaign trophyless and finished fourth in the league behind Rangers, Aberdeen and Motherwell.

But despite being unsuccessful in Scotland, Muggleton came close to a trophy two years earlier when he played for Leicester in the Second Division play-off final and saved a penalty at Wembley.

Although he was on the losing side.

Muggleton is enjoying his new life after hanging up his gloves, but he recently told The Athletic about some of the scary moments he’s had in the car with students.

Speaking in 2019, the former stopper recalled: “We almost took out a bus stop once.

“I caught the wheel just in time, but the more experienced you are you can see what’s coming and try to dodge it.

“I was in the last year of my degree, I was 39 years old. My classmate’s daughter was 17 years old and he didn’t want to take her to class, so I told him I would help her.

“I decided to take a course and qualify, and it went well for me. I can be flexible and do more when I’m out of a coaching job.

“It’s very rewarding, because you give young people a chance at life and a chance at freedom to get out and move, and when they apply for jobs, they’re asked if they have a driver’s license.

“They asked me to give (Leicester player) Daniel Amartey some lessons to get him used to driving here, booster lessons, but it didn’t work out because he wanted to drive an automatic, and I taught the Tigers player (professional side of Leicester Rugby). Joe Heyes, who plays for England’s Under-21s.

“I know his father, Darren Heyes, because he used to play goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest.

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