The need to focus on a new career away from football is the reason for Paddy Boyle’s Peterhead departure for Lowland League champions Kelty Hearts.
The defender has left the Blue Toon after two seasons as he was no longer able to commit the time required to travel to Dundee for training and to Buchan for home games.
Later this month, the 33-year-old will start his new job as a PE teacher.
Seven years ago Boyle made the decision to plan for life after football and he qualified as a teacher earlier this year.
He said: “Peterhead might have made changes anyway, I don’t know. But for me, going forward, the PE teaching is at the forefront of my mind. I want to do well and progress in that.
“That was one of the reasons I phoned the manager and said there would need to be a parting of ways because I won’t be able to commit the time required to play for Peterhead when I’m based in Glasgow.”
Boyle joined Peterhead from Ayr United two years ago and helped them win League Two during his first season, while last term Jim McInally’s side ended the campaign eighth in League One.
He added: “I could have signed a full-time contract when I was 26 and carried on, but I chose to go part-time and play for Airdrie and study off the back of that.
“The big thing for me at that time was that there was less and less money in football and particularly full-time football.
“So I made the decision at that time to try set up a career for after football and I’m delighted with how it’s worked out.”
