“Leave the football before the football leaves you,” is a Jamie Carragher quote that has frequently circulated mainstream media in recent years, often used by rival supporters whenever a player in their twilight shows signs of struggling in the Premier League. While usually tongue-in-cheek, there is a curious subgenre of footballer who refuses to hang up their boots, often ending up in far-flung leagues just to stay on the pitch.
Over the years, there have been some remarkable examples among former England internationals. Nicky Butt had a stint at South China AA, while David James tried his hand in India with Kerala Blasters. More recently, Jesse Lingard has become a celebrity-like figure in South Korea during his spell at FC Seoul.
While today’s former Three Lions would struggle to make such a move without it hitting the headlines, there is one player who has just been spotted at a surprising new club at 34 – and unfortunately, he’s only attracting attention after being on the wrong end of an 8-0 thrashing.
Andros Townsend Spotted Playing For Thai League 1 Club
Early in the summer, while everyone was focused on the drama of the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga – another Englishman moving abroad – many may have missed Thai League 1 club Kanchanaburi Power’s brilliant transfer announcement for former Tottenham and Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend, which featured him standing on the famous Bridge over the River Kwai.
The ex-England international, who scored three goals in 13 caps between 2013 and 2016, began his path to Thailand after his initial move from Luton Town to Turkey with Antalyaspor in 2024 went awry. Wage issues, as the winger was not being paid, forced him to look elsewhere. Realising that his injury troubles during the latter years of his Premier League career were unlikely to improve, he opted to head even further east. Watch him in action below:
Those reacting to the footage were quick to make note of the awful condition the pitch was in. What they may not have realised, however, is that the result for Townsend’s side was even worse, with Kanchanaburi suffering an 8-0 defeat to Port FC, who had only managed seven goals in their previous six games combined.
What Prompted Townsend’s Move to Kanchanaburi Power
The chastening defeat leaves Townsend and co. 14th out of 16 in the topflight. But while the move appears to have been the wrong one for the 34-year-old on a performance basis, it has helped him to overcome his injury challenge, with his new diet being a big reason he’s still playing at all.
The winger needed a change of diet, not just lifestyle, to get him out of an injury crisis at Everton, which saw him miss 51 games in the 2021/22 campaign alone. “In 2021, I ruptured my ACL, couldn’t get fit, took me about a year and a bit,” he explained, as per talkSPORT. “Nothing was working and, as a last resort, I turned to nature and turned to more alternative medicine and more natural foods.
“That’s why I’m here. The first thing I searched for when I got here was the chicken feet. It’s quite a big thing in Asia and Thailand so I managed to find it as soon as I touched down.”
Continuing on his new way of life, he said: “It’s a stripped-back way of living, there’s a farmer’s market everywhere you look. There’s natural food, natural produce, and it’s a really relaxing way of living and, because of my change of focus in the last few years, it’s a perfect place for me to come and play football for however long it is.”
“I’m at a stage in my life where I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone,” he said after reflecting on a move to his 16th different club across his career.
“I’ve achieved everything I wanted to achieve and more and some people get to my age and think ‘I don’t want to take that offer because it’s bizarre, it’s a surprise, it’s a fall from grace’, but I really don’t care what people say or think.
He concluded: “This opportunity really excited me. I get to live an amazing life and do what I love every day as well, which is playing football. I get to combine the two and this is why I’m here. By many experts I was predicted to have to retire by the age of 32 due to my injuries so I am on borrowed time, but my body is feeling amazing so I will go as long as I still enjoy it.”