How non-league football can help players from all communities rebuild their careers | Josh Gowling

Maziar Kouhyar was the first Afghanistan-born player to play professionally in England but was struggling to find a club

Dropping into non-league might not sound like an attractive option for some footballers, but it can offer an obvious advantage: exposure. If clubs are willing to be honest, open and give everybody an opportunity then careers can be rebuilt and all parties will benefit.

One of my squad at Hereford FC, Maziar Kouhyar, is an example that I hold particularly close. I am very proud of him: he was the first Afghanistan-born player to appear in professional football in this country, but fell out of the game after leaving Walsall. He worked at KFC for a while and was employed as a car salesman when I first met him early last year.