Gardner, who is perhaps best known for an eight-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur, last played for Sheffield Wednesday in 2014.
Gardner (left) in action against Spurs
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday defender Anthony Gardner has a potentially lucrative new career… in poker.
As reported by PokerNews.com, the once-capped England international walked away with £20,550 at Sunday’s Dusk Till Dawn tournament in Nottingham.
Gardner, 36, revealed afterwards the five-figure pay-out was his biggest to date at a live tournament, with £2,150 his previous-best reward for coming second the 2014 Genting Poker Series Sheffield festival.
“Some Sunday Grind. Thanks for the support. My best live tournament to date. Visualising this one for a while. Thoroughly enjoyed,” he posted on social media.
The six-foot-five-inch former centre-back moved to Spurs in a £1.28 million deal [Transfermarkt] from Port Vale in 2000 and spent eight years at White Hart Lane.
Loans to Everton and Hull City followed, before the Tigers turned his deal permanent for a club-record £2.72 million.
Gardner later spent two seasons at Crystal Palace before Sheffield Wednesday came calling in the summer of 2012.
The Staffordshire native impressed in his only full season at Hillsborough, before an Achilles injury brought a premature end to his career three years ago.
Gardner isn’t the only ex-Tottenham player to turn to poker, with former Spurs teammate Teddy Sheringham also taking up the sport professionally.
Gardner celebrates Leroy Lita’s goal for Sheffield Wednesday
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