Lee Crooks

Lee Crooks

It is not unusual for teams to pluck players from the services but Lee Crooks has moved in the opposite direction.

Crooks played 73 games as a defender for Manchester City but has hung up his studs in exchange for a pair of desert boots after joining the RAF.

Centre back Crooks, 33, who also turned out for Barnsley and Rochdale, is now busy planning for his first tour of duty as a leading airman next year.

Crooks says his new career is not much different from the old one.

“Both roles are about working as a team. You train all week to prepare for the game on a Saturday and this is exactly the same."

“You have to be mentally and physically fit for both roles, but you train as a professional footballer for 90 minutes, so the training is a lot more explosive, whereas being a gunner you have to be robust and have a lot more stamina as you are carrying heavy weight over longer distances and over longer days and nights."

“You have to be there for your teammates and move forward as a team. I would encourage other players to consider joining up once they are done with playing.”

Crooks, stationed with 1 Squadron RAF Regiment at RAF Honington, added: “I have done all my training and am really looking forward to putting it into practice.”