Walking into the Tindall's home, it is impossible not to feel awe-struck by the black and white pictures of Mike's footballing days which line the hallway.

The Penmanor resident talks enthusiastically about his time as an Aston Villa wing half in the 1950s and early '60s but claims he was a different person back then.

"I liked the best of everything. The best clothes, I had the best car and the job allowed me to travel everywhere," said Mike, who is now 62.

As a boy, playing for Villa was Mike's only ambition and he would spend hours practising at home in Acocks Green perfecting his technique.

Yet, his career was cut short in November 1964 when he broke his leg while playing away against Tottenham Hotspur.

But fate led him to his wife, Thora, and he married at the tender age of 24.

Mike joined Walsall after his injury but never fully recovered and later moved to Bournemouth to become a green grocer.

It was there that he experienced his first real taste of Christianity, when his wife arrived in the shop one day and told him she was a born again Christian.

"I cannot even tell you the words that came out of mouth. I thought she had gone mad and didn't want to know," he said.

Still very much enjoying the high-life, Mike decided to up-root to Bromsgrove where the couple took over the Coach and Horses in the High Street in 1986.

But within months of taking over the pub, he was virtually bankrupt.

"It was as if someone was telling me not to go in this pub but Thora kept telling me the Lord had got it all in hand."

It was at this point in Mike's life that he decided to give himself to Christianity.

"I kept praying, repenting and asking the Lord to forgive me and at first I felt no different."

But Thora encouraged her husband and took him along to a service at the New Road Baptist Church in 1987.

"It was a 20 minute service and I witnessed a man speaking in a different language, in Christian terms it is called tongue and it completely blew my mind," explained Mike.

"It was then I looked up into the eyes of Jesus and realised it was not a fairytale, it was the truth. He then spoke to me and said do not worry for I am with you and asked me to go and tell the world about him."

Mike claims this was the turning point in his life. Up until that point he had sworn and told dirty jokes but within weeks his life had been turned upside down.

"I am a walking miracle. I deserved a front row in hell but Jesus touched me," Mike added.

He admitted life as a preacher has not always been easy.

"At first everyone thought I had gone raving mad - even my family disowned me. I've been physically attacked, spat at and I'm verbally abused all the time but it doesn't bother me. The abuse is part of the price of being a disciple of Christ."

Supported by the New Road Baptist Church, Mike travels the world preaching and claims to have seen many miracles, including a blind woman regain her sight.

Looking back on his footballing career, Mike admits he has some wonderful memories but claimed: "David Beckham is earning £100,000 and in spin-offs £5m to £6m a year.

"But we will all die one day. We came in with nothing and go out with nothing. No-one is guaranteed another hour.

"You need to gain salvation now. Only Jesus will get you to heaven - no-one else will."