SEAN Rigg, a footballer famous for spells with Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon, has started a tattoo business in Stroud.

The 30-year old, now playing for Bath City FC in the National League South, started learning the skills required to be a tattoo artist during a spell in the football league seven years ago.

Speaking exclusively to the SNJ, Sean described how he got involved in the tattoo business.

“It all started when I was playing for Port Vale," he said.

"I had always been into my art so I asked a friend if he would take me on for a tattoo apprenticeship.

“He agreed to take me under his wing, I think it helped that his family were all Vale fans - so I went in after training and started learning the trade."

Rigg has enjoyed successful spells in the football league, before dropping down the pyramid with Bath to give himself more time to work on his new business.

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“Playing for Bath is perfect because it allows me to do this as well, I get to do two things that I really enjoy. "

In his early days in the tattoo artist business, Sean would practice on former Port Vale team-mate Lewis Haldane and his new colleagues at Bath have been in contact asking about getting tattoos done.

“There a few Bath lads who want a bit of work, and even the manager, Jerry Gill, so it is all good," he said.

“It is pretty nerve-racking when you are starting off as an artist, if you make a mistake then you can’t really change it, luckily all my clients have been happy!”

The former Wimbledon forward has some fantastic memories in his football career, with a game against Liverpool in the FA Cup and a final at Wembley with Bristol Rovers.

However, Sean says that he felt that now was the right time to take the step away and is very happy about his career move.

“I am really enjoying this, big thanks to Tom Proctor, who has given me the opportunity to come into his shop.

“We bounce ideas off one another and constantly learn off each other - he is a really good artist.

Sean admits that his new career venture is him looking to the future, after football.

“It is something else I love to do and being able to transition into something else that I am really passionate about is really exciting and I am over the moon to be in here doing something else I love.”

Sean and Tom are based in the Stroud Tattoo Company shop, in Brunel Arcade on London Road.