Ex-Sunderland & Wolves player ditched football to become an artist | OneFootball

Meet the former Premier League player whose career has taken a unique twist.

After retiring, many footballers become coaches, some become pundits, but not many can boast of becoming a professional artist.

That is exactly what a former Sunderland and Wolves player has done with his career, and he clearly has immense love for his former clubs, judging by what he has produced on the canvas.

Both clubs have experienced contrasting seasons in the Premier League, with the Black Cats exceeding expectations and chasing Europe, while the Old Gold have been relegated to the Championship, with one game to avoid finishing bottom.

So, who is the man behind the canvas, and what has he been up to since retiring?

Meet Jody Craddock - Footballer turned artist

In 2013, Jody Craddock retired from football at age 37, having amassed over 400 career appearances, with almost all of them coming at Sunderland and Wolves.

The former defender was your classic old-school English centre-half: tough, dependable, dominant in the air and a leader among men.

Given his profile, you would be forgiven for thinking he possessed a heavy touch with his feet and his hands, but amazingly, he is now a professional artist.

Craddock spoke of his love for painting in 2005 in an interview with The Independent, using it as a coping mechanism after the death of his infant son Jake three years earlier.

A glance at his Instagram page tells you that this is no fad and that he actually possesses quite the talent, with his work predominantly football-oriented.

Indeed, his most recent post about his work will be of interest to Wolves and Liverpool supporters, in particular, while the whole football community would likely be impressed.

In March, he unveiled two giant paintings in memory of Diogo Jota, which were on show in the Stan Cullis Stand at Molineux, striking a clear resemblance to the former forward.

He has also created a range of custom trading cards, painting his own image of Sunderland stars, including Wilson Isidor, Granit Xhaka and Chris Rigg on the back.

The most amusing, however, is one he posted of Mr Sunderland, Luke O'Nien kissing former Norwich City midfielder Jacob Sorensen, replicating last season's comedy moment.

Looking back at Craddock's career with Sunderland and Wolves

For Sunderland supporters who remember Craddock, they will look back at his career with a smile on their face, as he was part of the club's most successful side in recent history.

Led by the charismatic Peter Reid, the Black Cats stormed to the Championship title, reaching 105 points in the 1998-99 season before establishing themselves as a serious top-flight outfit.

During the 1999-00 campaign, the Wearsiders enjoyed their best showing in 45 years, finishing the season in seventh, with Craddock becoming an indispensable part of Reid's backline.

The following term, the Black Cats proved their achievement was no fluke, landing a seventh-placed finish again, as Craddock had even more of an impact, making 30 appearances.

After Sunderland's relegation, several of their stars left and, considering his ability, it was unsurprising that the centre-back joined Wolves for £1.75million.

The defender could not escape relegation, however, as the Old Gold went down in 2004, and it took five years before they returned, with Craddock part of the side that made it happen.