Shrewsbury Town FA Cup hero Nigel Jemson has moved away from a life in football – to start a new career as a fireman.

Jemson made 107 starts in the league during his time at the club between 2000 and 2003, scoring 36 goals. His most famous moment at the Gay Meadow was scoring the two goals that knocked Premier League side Everton out of the FA Cup in 2003.

Jemson, 41, went on to become player-manager for Ilkeston Town between 2005 and 2008, but has now taken up firefighting duties in the town of Bingham in Nottinghamshire, where he has lived for the past 11 years.

He passed his exams to become a retained fireman and has been a member of Bingham’s part-time fire crew for a couple of years.

But Jemson said his heart was still attached to the beautiful game: “My aim is to get back into football as soon as possible.

“But you can’t sit around waiting forever. I enjoy working as a fireman and it is a fresh challenge. But I left school at 15 and kicked a ball around for 25 years . . . and I want to continue to be involved in football.”

He said a return to Shrewsbury seemed unlikely at the moment, but added he had fond memories of his time at the club.

“I had three good years at the football club and wish Shrewsbury Town every success,” he said.

Jemson’s career in football saw him start out at Preston, going on to play for the likes of Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford. His two sons, Charlie, 13, and Max, nine, are with the Nottingham Forest youth academy.