The former Manchester United midfielder "Philip Mulryn" is now a priest

Former footballer Philip Mulryn Photo: Twitter

Philip Mulryn retired from football in 2008. After that, his career path did not go like ten other footballers. Mulrin walked a slightly different path. The 45-year-old former central midfielder is now a priest. Mulrin spoke on his former club Norwich City's website about why he came this way.

Mulrin played for Manchester United from 1996 to 1999. Although he could play as a striker, midfielder or right winger at United, during the time of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mullerin did not have the opportunity to play that way even after five seasons at United. In the 1997–98 season, Mullerin took the field against Barnsley on the last day of the English Premier League.

It was his only Premier League appearance for United. After leaving United, he moved to Norwich City and Cardiff City and currently plays for English fourth-tier club Leyton Orient. Before Mullerin retired in 2008, his last club was Kings Lynn. From 1997 to 2007, Mulrin also played 27 matches for his native Northern Ireland.

Mullrin retired from professional football at the age of 30. From the next year, he gradually became disillusioned with money, women and football. "It's hard to say exactly when this change started in my life," Mulryn told Norwich's website. I started thinking about these things from my last year at Norwich.' Mulrin played for Norwich from 1999 to 2005.

Philip Mulryn. While playing for Manchester United Photo: Twitter

'Footballers have a great life, I've been lucky enough to have that,' Mulrin commented on the lifestyle change. But in the end I felt empty and upset. Even though I got almost everything from childhood, I was not satisfied. And in this, I started the journey to regain the faith that I had at a young age. Returned home for a year. Nothing went well in the house that year. I have also done volunteer work at homeless shelters. Then I went back to the church and started worshiping regularly. Gradually I felt satisfied. Football has a lot of ups and downs. But the church continues to satisfy me. I want to live this lifestyle.'

Mulreen is now Reverend Father Philip Mulreen. In 2017 he became a priest according to the Dominican Order. He is now at St. Mary's Priory Church in Cork, Ireland. Mulrin has no regrets about quitting football at such a young age more than a century ago, 'I was in that lifestyle (of becoming a priest) for the first few months, then I gradually discovered the path and decided.'

Coming up from United's age group, Mulryn earned £600,000 a year at the height of his football career. Norwich played 172 matches and scored 20 goals. However, the British press "Daily Star" reported that Mulrin fell in love with the Bible after leaving football in Norwich. Then slowly changed his life.