Bloemfontein Celtic legend Willem Vries shockingly revealed that he is currently working as a gardener to earn a living.

In an interview with KickOff, the 54-year-old former midfielder says that he was struggling financially and began working at Siwelele Park.

"I was working in the yard at Siwelele Park as a garden boy and I am now sick and they are just giving me a salary while I am sitting at home.

"The last time I worked there in October last year I was cutting trees and since then I started getting sick. Instead of getting an incentive, they now want to take me to SASSA .

"Why can't they just give me something? Instead of a salary they now want me to get a SASSA card.

"Where I am sitting now, I am in pain. You are the only one who has bothered to check what is happening with me. I am having short breath and I cannot work in a yard anymore, and now I must go to SASSA."

Vries previously held the record at Celtic for the most starts with 306 appearances to his name before retiring.

He added: "If I wanted something, I had to go and lay-bye. I cannot even watch television right now because I cannot afford it. I don't have a television because I cannot buy one for cash.

"If you come to my place you will cry, because there is nothing to show that I was once a professional player."

- Compiled by Tashreeq Vardien