Former Arsenal and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is making the move from football to ice hockey after retiring from football in the summer.

Cech has signed for British ice hockey team Guildford Phoenix and will make his debut this weekend in the National Ice Hockey League Division 2.

 

Cech told Guildford's club website: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to play with the Phoenix to get the match experience."

"I hope I can help this young team to achieve their goals for the season and try to win as many games as possible when I have the chance to play.

"After 20 years of professional football, this is going to be a wonderful experience for me to play the game I loved to watch and play as a kid."

The former Chelsea man who made over 300 appearances for the London side currently works as the Technical and Performance Advisor for The Blues and will maintain his current position while taking on this new venture.

Cech confirmed his position in a tweet stating: "Some people seem to think I changed my job. No I didn't."

"Luckily my job as the Technical and Performance Advisor at Chelsea FC doesn't stop me in my spare time from playing the game I loved as a kid and which I've been playing for years.

"While being a professional footballer I couldn't play the game for obvious reason... now I can."

 

Guildford Phoenix are a relatively new side founded in 2017 and will be hoping Cech's goalkeeping experience will carry over to goaltending.