8 former Premier League ballers we can't believe are playing non ...

Former Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham stars are among the former Premier League players who are currently playing non-league football in 2024-25.

While some footballers choose to retire at the top level, others are happy to play in the English lower leagues during their twilight years.

We’ve taken a closer look at non-league and have found eight former Premier League players who are still going strong today.

Best known for his spells with Tottenham and QPR, the Brazilian midfielder came out of retirement earlier this month to sign for Southern League Premier Central outfit Harborough Town.

“Credit to Sandro he has kept himself really fit and is an absolute great guy, down to earth who when the Chairman and I met with him came across very genuine, polite and humble,” manager Mitch Austin said upon Sandro’s arrival.

“You could really sense there was a real desire to get the signing done on his part, I am absolutely delighted to have him at our club.

“These sort of signings don’t happen every day but when you get a chance to sign an ex-professional footballer who has played at the highest level in the Premier League and internationally with Brazil, you just cannot turn it down.”

With Harborough Town gearing up to face Reading in the FA Cup second round, Sandro will no doubt be itching to get going.

After enjoying his peak years with the likes of Burnley, QPR and Southampton, Austin now plays non-league football for AFC Totton in the Southern League Premier Division South.

The 34-year-old scored 14 goals in 48 appearances for Swindon Town last season, but found himself at a crossroads over the summer after his contract had expired.

After initially wanting to stay in the Football League, Austin revealed that James Beattie (now AFC Totton’s director of football) convinced him to make the switch to non-league.

“James Beattie got in touch with me in May and asked me the situation, and I said I still wanted to play in the Football League – but let’s stay in touch,” Austin told the Daily Mail.

“We stayed in contact and he invited me to come and train with the club. I wasn’t too sure at first but then, while I was on holiday with the kids, the penny sort of dropped and I rang him and said look, let’s do the deal.”

AFC Totton currently sit third in the league and Austin is already off the mark with four goals.

The former Reading forward has been playing non-league football since 2018 and currently plays for Barwell FC in the Southern League Premier Division Central.

Since dropping down to non-league football, the 39-year-old has played for 10 different clubs and he boasts a pretty good scoring record for each of them.

Once sold for £15million when he made the switch from Liverpool to Bournemouth, Ibe now finds himself playing non-league football.

The 28-year-old has been open about his struggles with depression after he told BBC Sport he was in a ‘dark place’ during the pandemic in 2021.

Following some short spells with Derby County and Adanaspor, Ibe decided to drop down to non-league in 2023 and he now plays for Hayes & Yeading United in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

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The former Newcastle United star was tipped to go to the very top during his formative years, but off-the-pitch drama seemed to follow him throughout his career.

Following stints in the EFL with Swindon Town, Blackpool and Southend United, Ranger dropped down to non-league football in 2020.

The 33-year-old is still playing today for Kettering Town in the Southern League Premier Division Central.

Sordell made 17 Premier League appearances in his heyday but never managed to score a goal in the top flight.

The former Watford and Bolton forward enjoyed his most prolific years when playing in the Championship and he’s still got some magic left in his boots yet.

After initially retiring from professional football at the age of 28 due to mental health reasons, the 33-year-old came out of retirement earlier this year to join Kettering Town where he now plays alongside Ranger.

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Along with Ranger and Sordell, Kettering Town also signed up Hooper earlier this year as they’ve been gradually building a non-league super team.

After enjoying stints in Australia, New Zealand, India, Cyprus and the UAE, Hooper returned to England and signed for Barnet last season before making the switch to Kettering Town over the summer.

With several former Premier League forwards at their disposal, it’s no wonder they currently sit top of the league after 10 games.

The former Crystal Palace full-back dropped down to non-league over the summer after spending last season with Motherwell.

He originally joined AFC Croydon Athletic but only lasted a month before he made the switch to Ebbsfleet United in October.