Craig Bryson admits he thought of nothing but football when he was younger, but older heads at Kilmarnock convinced him to think about his future.
Now the double domestic cup winner with St Johnstone doubles up his football adventures with ‘Homes Under the Hammer’-type escapades after branching out into estate agency.
Bryson, from East Kilbride, has taken up a post with American firm Keller Williams Estate Agency, but there’s a football link there too, as he’s working alongside former Accies and Kilmarnock striker Gary Wales and ex-Dundee United defender David McCracken.
The 34-year-old says he’s future-proofing himself, and has no intention of hanging up the boots quite yet.
“For a lot of people on the outside they’ll think it’s weird, or it’s out the box, or whatever you want to call it, but I’ve been involved in property since about 2009, so it has always been an interest,” he said.
“I’m just trying to set myself up for something to do when I retire.
“It’s not something that a lot of players want to speak about, or think about, but when you’re getting to the age that I am, your best years are probably behind you and you have to look forward and see what you’re going to do after football.
“When I signed for Kilmarnock I bought my first property and tried to get on the market when I got a wee bit of a wage rise going from Clyde, and it’s just stemmed from then.
“I’ve always been interested in it, always liked it and always watched the property programmes on the TV, like Homes Under the Hammer, and it just kind of grew from there.”
Bryson added: “When you are a bit younger you don’t want to think about retiring and stuff and you never think you’ll end up coming to the end of your career, but it does go quickly.
“I remember back at Kilmarnock a lot of lads were thinking about what they were going to do after.
“At that age all I was thinking about was football, but the older you get, the wiser you get.
“With the more experience you get, you realise that you’re better to put things in place for the future, while you are playing.
“I fell into this; I know one of the directors at Keller Williams through previous experience with property, so I spoke to him and got involved that way.
“Gary Wales is involved, who I used to play with at Kilmarnock, and David McCracken, who was at Dundee United, has just joined.
“They’re a massive company in the USA but they’re getting bigger over here, quite big in Edinburgh, and I’m down in Kilmarnock way, in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, or anywhere, really.”
If you’re looking to buy or sell property, call Craig on 07512 785895 or visit craig.bryson@kwuk.com.
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