It's no uncommon story to hear of a footballer who has fallen on hard times financially. Indeed, there are countless examples of sporting stars who appear to blow their fortune and then end up facing bankruptcy.

Former England internationals John Barnes, Paul Merson, and Emile Heskey, for example, are among those to have had their money issues since hanging up their boots. Chris Sutton also got caught up in an alleged accounting scam which cost him thousands.

The former Celtic star isn't the only man with a link to Scottish football to struggle to pay the bills either. Kevin Kyle played for a number of big clubs across the United Kingdom, but ended up cleaning toilets to help make ends meet, joining the list of footballers who have taken on unusual jobs after retiring.

Kevin Kyle's Career From Scotland To Working on a Ferry

Kyle started out his senior career at Sunderland and made 13 Premier League appearances for the Black Cats in the early 2000s. He also played for the likes of Huddersfield Town, Coventry City and Wolves before returning to his native Scotland in 2009.

Spells at Kilmarnock, Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Ayr United and Newton Stewart would follow until his retirement in 2014. Adding to that, the striker would earn 10 international caps between 2002 and 2009, scoring just once for Scotland against a Hong Kong League XI.

During the same year that he retired from football, per The Express, it was discovered that Kyle was working on board a fleet of vessels in the Shetland Islands. His duties included stacking stock and cleaning toilets for offshore labourers.

Kyle was contacted for comment at the time. His response was brief, as he said simply:

"I'm trying to provide for my family."

During that penniless period, he was also photographed working on a former ferry, the Regina Baltic. The vessel had been converted into a 'floating hotel', offering lodging for offshore workers.

Kyle Suffered Serious Gambling Addiction

Kyle's money issues likely stemmed from a serious gambling addiction. It was reported he would routinely spend £7,000 weekly on wagers during his highest-earning years. The striker once admitted he would volunteer for laundry duties or kitchen work so he "could be away and not see anyone."

However, the player has claimed that his wages were never quite as high as reported. Opening up more on his jobs away from football, which also included working as a taxi driver​​​​​, he said

Kyle has since built a thriving career in podcasting, becoming part of the Open Goal podcast in 2018. Adding to that, he now also works as a mental health speaker to assist others by sharing his own journey.