In a week that saw Guiseley defender Jamie Clark leave the club to take up a coaching position at an academy in Thailand, former Lions striker Lee Tuck painted a picture of an idyllic lifestyle in the far eastern land.

Tuck, who departed Nethermoor in 2009, long before Clark’s arrival, is heading back to Thailand later this month after spending what is the Thai League’s close season back in Yorkshire.

He said: “It’s a different world really. Off the pitch it is a good lifestyle, with good food and very good weather, and being a professional footballer over there is a good living. We train for two hours a day, so there is a lot of time to see the beautiful country.

“Training is only two hours but it’s more like four that we spend at the ground. I get there at 3.00 in the afternoon and do a bit on my own before the session gets under way an hour later. We are finished by 6.00 but sometimes I stay back a bit for shooting practice or extra fitness work.

“I have most of the day to myself but we do have two morning gym sessions every week. The league games kick off at 6pm on Saturdays because any earlier than that would be far too hot to play a full game.

“The football is not as fast as the English game. It’s not as direct but it is very technical. It took me time to adjust when I first came out here because it was February/March, which is the middle of the summer, but after that first couple of months I was all right.”

Tuck has definitely settled as he heads for his fourth season in the Thai League with a two-year deal in his pocket. He ended last season as the league’s top scorer as his club Bangkok FC finished inside the top ten.

The tireless forward has no intention of allowing his standards to drop as he hopes to extend his stay in the country by earning another contract.

Tuck said: “I have worked hard all the time I have been at Bangkok and I still do a lot of training on my own. You don’t get anywhere without hard work, which I learned from my time at Halifax Town.

“I was at the Shay from being 11 years old and I signed my first professional contract at 17 and it was probably a bit too early for me and then the manager didn’t like me, so it went a bit sour.

“I had two seasons at Farsley Celtic after that and remember the play-off final at the Pirelli Stadium when we won promotion to the Conference League.

“I was at Guiseley when I was waiting for my trial period in Thailand and Steve (Kittrick) was happy with that arrangement.

“No opportunities came for me at pro clubs in England and that’s why I will keep working hard to make the most of this one. Playing and living in a country like Thailand is like a dream come true.”