Petr Cech has swapped the football pitch for the ice rink after announcing a deal with Guildford Phoenix.

The Premier League icon, who spent the majority of his career with Chelsea before a switch the Arsenal, will feature for the fourth-tier ice hockey team until the end of the season.

He will play as a goaltender and the club’s next match is this Sunday, when the two-year-old outfit playing at home to Swindon Wildcats II.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to play with the Phoenix to get the match experience,” the 37-year-old told the club’s website.

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“I hope I can help this young team to achieve their goals for the season and try to win as many games as possible when I have the chance to play.”

The former Czech Republic international added he played the sport as a child and will not sacrifice his existing non-playing role in west London.

Posting on Twitter, he said: “Some people seem to think I changed my job. No I didn't.

“Luckily my job as the Technical and Performance adviser at Chelsea FC doesn't stop me in my spare time from playing the game I loved as a kid and which I've been playing for years.

“While being professional footballer I couldn't play the games for obvious reason... now I can (sic).”

Milos Melicherik, the club’s Slovakian head coach, added: “We are very excited to have Petr join the Phoenix team and we are looking forward to seeing him in action this weekend. He has improved a lot since I first saw him on the ice and I am excited to see him play.”

Cech will be encouraged by his 15-year-long Premier League career, in which he kept 202 clean sheets and won the title four times.

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