FORMER England midfielder Stewart Downing was a part-time DJ during his first stint at Middlesbrough… and even played in IBIZA.
The left winger, 39, announced his retirement from football back in 2021, bringing an end to a 20-year professional career.
He broke through at Boro all the way back in 2001 and spent eight seasons in their first team.
And it was during that period where he turned his hand to DJing.
Downing, who earned 35 England caps between 2005 and 2014, performed several gigs in and around local clubs in the North East.
He was then given the opportunity to step onto the stage in Ibiza – and admitted he was incredibly nervous.
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Speaking to Ladbrokes back in 2022, he said: “I’ve always liked DJing, and I’ve been known to play a few sets during my time at Middlesbrough.
“But my biggest claim to fame on that front was far from Teesside. I DJed in Eden, the nightclub in Ibiza once. No one will have known about it; it wasn’t like I was on the flyer or anything.
“It was just that some of my mates were playing there, and I knew the lad who was running the night. He asked me if I wanted to go on. I was like ‘not really, no’.
“It was pretty full on there. He told me to just get up and have a go. Honestly it was proper nerve-wracking.
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“I think people have seen me out and about DJ-ing in a few bars here and there but that was a big one. It’s more nerve-wracking than playing football, that’s for sure.
“If you’re on a football pitch and you do something wrong, you might get booed, but you’ve got 10 other players to hide behind, and you’ll get another chance to do something special straight away.
“With DJing, if you get something wrong and you’ve got thousands of people dancing, where do you hide? You’re completely on your own.”
Downing, who won the League Cup with Boro in 2004, left the club five years later for Aston Villa.
He then joined Liverpool in 2011 and won a second League Cup with The Reds, before he moved to West Ham.
Downing returning to Boro in 2015 and spent four seasons with his boyhood side.
He finished his career with two years at Blackburn.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
