God. There's something particularly gut-wrenching about watching a footballer's career slowly wind down. I've followed Scott Sinclair since his early Chelsea days, and seeing him now - clubless at 36 after Bristol Rovers just gave him the boot - feels like watching the final scenes of a sports documentary that's gone on too long.

The veteran winger, who wore the captain's armband for teh Gas (as Rovers fans affectionately call their club), has been shown the door following their absolute disaster of a season that saw them relegated from League One. Finished 22nd. Brutal.

From Wonderkid to Unemployment Line

I remember watching Sinclair back in 2007 when he was this lightning-quick teenager that Chelsea had poached from Bristol Rovers' youth setup. Everyone thought he was going to be the next big thing. My mate Dave bet me £50 he'd be England's starting winger by 2010.

Spoiler alert: Dave lost that bet spectacularly.

Sinclair spent five years at Chelsea but only managed 14 appearances for the Blues. One of those frustrating careers where a young player gets swallowed by a big club's loan system. Swansea was where he really shined though - I was at that playoff final when he scored a hat-trick against Reading. Electric atmosphere.

After that, his career became a bit of a tour of British football - Manchester City (where he barely played), West Brom, Aston Villa, and then a really successful spell at Celtic before returning to where it all began with Bristol Rovers.

Wait... Didn't He Date That Corrie Actress?

Off the pitch, Sinclair's probably better known to the general public for his relationship with Helen Flanagan - yeah, the one who played Rosie Webster in Coronation Street. They were together for AGES (since 2009 if my memory serves me right) and have three kids together before splitting in 2022.

Flanagan's gone on to do all the usual celebrity stuff - I'm A Celeb, Celebs Go Dating, and has apparently moved on with another ex-footballer named Robbie Talbot.

Listen. I've always found it weird how much we focus on footballers' private lives. But that's the nature of modern fame, I guess. When you date someone who regularly appears in the tabloids, your career becomes secondary to your relationship status in the public eye.

Not The Only One Packing His Bags

Sinclair isn't facing unemployment alone. Bristol Rovers have had a proper clear-out after their relegation.

Romaine Sawyers (another ex-Premier League player who turned out for West Brom) has also been released, along with Grant Ward, Luke McCormick, Jerry Lawrence, Jack Hunt, Jevani Brown and Matt Hall.

James Wilson triggered a one-year extension clause in his contract, adn Chris Martin will stay at the club while he recovers from a knee injury. But everyone else? Gone.

From Olympic Rings to Uncertainty

It's easy to forget that Sinclair actually represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics. I was there for their match against UAE at Wembley - paid £75 for a ticket that I probably should've spent on my electricity bill that month.

Now he's 36, clubless, and facing that terrifying question that all footballers eventually confront: what next?

Some players transition smoothly into coaching or punditry. Others struggle with the void left when the Saturday afternoon adrenaline rush disappears. I interviewed a former Championship player last year who told me, "I spent six months just sitting in my garden wondering what the hell I was supposed to do with my life now." Poor bloke.

Will Sinclair find another club? Maybe in League Two? Or is this the end of a career that promised so much but delivered... well, a mixed bag?

The Brutal Reality Check

Football is merciless. One minute you're a teenage prodigy signing for Chelsea, the next you're a 36-year-old being released by a club heading to League Two.

I sometimes wonder if these players ever Google themselves and read articles like this. Must be weird seeing strangers discuss your career trajectory like it's a Netflix show that didn't quite stick the landing.

Whatever happens next, Sinclair had a better career than 99.9% of footballers ever will. Premier League. Champions League. Olympics. Celtic. Not too shabby when you look at the bigger picture.

But still... unemployment at 36. That's gotta sting.