Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has revealed that he wants to become a firefighter when he retires from football, but believes that he has at "least another five or six years" in the game.

Kirkland, who was once signed by Liverpool for £6m and has one England cap, says that his plan is to join the fire service, and has already started his training.

"A lot of footballers don't know what to do with the rest of their lives when they retire, but I've always been ­fascinated by the fire service and it's still my plan to join them when my football career winds down," Kirkland told The Mirror.

"There's no rush. I'd like to think I've at least another five or six years left in me.

"People might laugh at me wanting to become a ­firefighter, but any job which saves people's lives is no laughing matter, and I've already done a lot of training. A good friend of my dad, Paul Percer, is station officer at Hinckley and I've done a few drills in the smoke room."

Kirkland has also played for Coventry City and Wigan Athletic, and has spent time on loan at West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City and Doncaster Rovers.