Young fans queued to have photographs taken and get books signed when former Watford FC star Clarke Carlisle visited a church in Watford on Friday.

Carlisle, a former chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association, visited the Soul Survivor church to talk about the highs and lows of being a professional footballer.

As well as being well known as a footballer, he has appeared on BBC's Question Time and made an acclaimed documentary on racism in football, earning himself a reputation as being one of the most eloquent and thoughtful sportsmen of the day.

Carlisle had a long and illustrious career, has played in all four divisions of the English league.

He gave a candid account of his career and told a packed audience how he battled alcohol problems and career-threatening injuries, from his early days playing for England Under-21s to a late arrival in the Premier League with Burnley.