A decade after he left Albion, Garry Nelson is helping other ex-pros in his role as the commercial director of the players' union, the PFA.

The 40-year-old still takes a close interest in the club where he equalled a club goalscoring record 13 seasons ago. The former Albion star striker is putting some extra money into the pockets of ex player-boss Jimmy Case, midfielder George Parris and striker John Byrne.

Case and Parris are two of the many former players who have been drafted in to provide expert analysis at matches for a news agency. Nelson, as PFA commercial executive who has just turned 40, is also promoting Masters Football for stars of yesteryear.

He said: "We want to try and give more and more players little opportunities to pick up some regular income doing something they enjoy. With the development of online betting their expert opinion is needed.

"The masters football is also certainly growing. Tennis has proved it can be big business and there were 50,000 to watch an Auld Firm Rangers v Celtic Masters derby recently. So there's clearly potential.

"We do a lot of vocational work. Johnny Byrne got our backing to become a football specialist as did Norman Whiteside, the old Manchester United player.

"Only 27 per cent of professional footballers who start with clubs at 16 are still in the game at 21. Also, an average career only last eight years so there is a big need to help.

"The PFA helped me get an full FA coaching badge and get a marketing degree so I'm grateful to them too."

That badge helped Nelson gain a manager's job at Torquay.

But he has no plans to return to any hot seat after three-and-a-half-years heading up the PFA's London office.

He said: "You never say never, but I did my stint at Torquay.

"I was invited to Southend versus Plymouth by Kevin Hodges earlier this season. He and Alan Little were the managers, decent, honourable men and they both needed a result. It ended 1-1 which was no use to anyone. Not long after they were both sacked. "

Nelson enjoys lives life in a suit as a commuter, travelling to and from the capital from his Southend home.

But when the former Albion striker does put on a football shirt these days it is as a sweeper.

He said: "I play once a week in a vets league in Southend. It involves a few ex-players like Bill Garner and Peter Taylor. Peter is, of course, otherwise occupied this season.

"My team, Courtlands Park, are top and the more passive role of sweeper suits me. I had played midfield but that gets a bit competitive."

Nelson, who penned the popular books Left Foot Forward: A Year In The Life Of A Journeyman Footballer and Left Foot In The Grave, has no time to write another top seller. But he maintains commentating for Radio Five Live and Showtime gives him "some creative outlets".

He added with a smile: "I also get a few more writing PFA reports!"

But Nelson, the PFA representative at Albion, still misses creating and scoring as a full-time professional footballer.

He fired 32 goals in his first season at the Goldstone in 1987-88 to guide the club into the old second division. Only Peter Ward and Arthur Attwood have bettered that total in one season and Nelson was named supporters' player of the year.

He went on to hit a total of 59 goals in 166 appearances as a Seagull until 1991.

The goal he remembers most is one against Brentford in the FA Cup in November, 1987.

He said: "It was the best goal I ever scored. I had the ball in the centre with my back to goal.

It was like an American movie car chase. Instead of going past cars it was players. Kevin Bremner, my strike partner, was calling for the ball but I kept going. I got into the box and Kevin was still screaming for it. But the adrenalin was going and I lashed it into the net and Kevin came over and said: 'well done, you greedy so-and-so.'

"The only shame is I have no visual evidence of it, but people often ask me about it so I can keep it in my mind."

After leaving Albion he joined Charlton, Torquay and, for one game, St Leonards, before knee trouble ended his playing career.

Now he concerns himself with wider issues such as the wages explosion, the possibility of the first £160,000-a-week footballer and the end of the transfer system as well as the welfare of former pros like Case, Parris and Byrne.

And, of course, he still keeps a keen eye on what's happening at Albion.

He said: "They've had a big problem with the pitch, I understand, because you need to keep playing. Ending up fifth or sixth through no fault of your own is no good, but Micky Adams is doing a fine job and should get them up."