ERIC September believes he is living testimony of how one can overcome difficulties in life. And the former Bafana Bafana, Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns, Dynamos and Kaizer Chiefs marksman should know what he is talking about

After all, he spent 13 years of his life behind bars for the murder of his wife in 1997 at the height of his already successful career.

Now 44 years old, September was sentenced to 27 years in jail on May 24 2000. He had been awaiting trial for three years after his arrest in 1997.

At the time he had two Bafana Bafana caps under his belt and was looking forward to more.

September served his sentence at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein and was released on December 6.

Speaking to Sowetan in his first interview since his release, September sounded philosophical and was full of advice for the youth in particular.

He is back in his home town of Orkney and is involved in several community projects.

These include being in charge of the Kenneth Kaunda district's Under-19 team as coach and giving motivational talks around that area, especially at schools.

"I am ready to teach the positive things in life based on my own experience. With the faith that I have I know I can assist a lot of people, especially the youth.

"The high rate of unemployment leads the youth to crime and drug abuse.

"I was fortunate to discover a friend who was able to guide me and has been with me through thick and thin. He was able to release me from being hooked to a life of fraud, violence and all that's bad and got me hooked on Jesus," says an obviously wiser September.

"I am a born-again Christian. I neither smoke, drink nor go to nightspots. I have a purpose in life and I aim to use it for the upliftment of my community. The youth should learn from playing football as I realised there were talents I had which I was never aware of.

"There is a word that everybody knows, whether educated or illiterate. That word is NO. If anyone were to approach you with a negative proposition and you say NO, that's a mouthful and they won't bother you again."

September says he has achieved inner peace and accepted his wrongdoings.

Some of his fellow inmates were serving sentences that led them to give up hope of ever being released.

"I interacted with people who were serving four life sentences and 40 years and managed to teach them that they should never give up.

"Most of them are now living with hope and are changed people."

He also believes that there is so much that can be done for the youth that he seemed to advocate the belief that you should send a thief to catch a thief.

"In teaching the youth about life skills for instance, it would be wise to enlist the services of players who have been that route."

September believes that talent alone is not enough.

"You need passion to complement your talents."

September joined Ezenkosi at 20 and prides himself in bringing the likes of Phil "Chippa" Masinga and Gesond Vilakazi into the professional ranks and being the first from the area to play in the elite league.

"There were better players than me in Orkney but they were all afraid of venturing to the bright lights of Jozi. I did," he says proudly.