Former Man City ace, 49, now starring in CBBC series as he lives very different life as an actor

A former Manchester City midfielder is now starring in CBBC show Jamie Johnson FC.

The ex-footballer enjoyed a 15-year professional career which also included spells at Blackpool, Norwich, Swindon, Northampton and Wrexham.

The ex-Manchester City star has turned to acting following a 15-year playing careerAlamy

He plays Coach Byrne in CBBC show Jamie Johnson FCJamie Johnson FC

Now 49 years of age, the three-cap Northern Ireland international has been retired for nearly two decades.

But his new career as an actor is thriving – and is actually overlapping with football.

His role in the CBBC show Jamie Johnson FC – about a group of talented players attempting to make it to the top level – sees him play the character Coach Byrne.

He has also performed in musical theatre across Europe, featuring in roles such as Sammy Davis Jr.

The former player in question is Jim Whitley.

He never made an appearance in the top tier but did feature numerous times for Man City in the Second Division.

He also racked up more than 100 games for Wrexham.

His small acting role as Coach Byrne could forge a new full-time career for Whitley.

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Whitley left Man City for Wrexham in 2001Action Images - Reuters

However, he has claimed he is unlikely to make it a permanent move as he is balancing the part-time work with his coaching badges.

He told BBC Sport: “I took the Uefa B badge just before I got the Jamie Johnson role.

“The door’s not closed on that front, it’s just trying to balance various things.”

As well as acting and coaching, Whitley also works with the PFA and Sporting Chance to deal with players’ addiction issues.

He had his own battles with alcohol and depression during his playing career.

Whitley’s brother Jeff also battled addiction and recently opened up about his struggles.