Forgotten former England star wakes up unemployed aged 34 after he is released from Championship club

A FORMER England international is now unemployed after being released by Watford.

The 34-year-old midfielder was in a similar scenario 12 months ago after he was let go by West Bromwich Albion.

Now Jake Livermore is on the lookout for a new club after it was confirmed he was leaving Vicarage Road after just one season.

The former Tottenham ace played 32 times in all competitions for the Hornets after penning a one-year deal last summer, scoring three times.

But after Watford’s disappointing 15th-placed finish in the Championship, he was among three senior players that were released after the club’s retained list was announced.

Goalkeeper Ben Hamer, 36, is departing after two years while as well as former Manchester United and West Ham forward Ashley Fletcher, who spent last season on-loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

The trio will all officially become free agents when their contracts expire on June 30.

Livermore earned his deal following a trial after his six-and-a-half-year stay at West Brom, whom he joined from Hull in January 2017.

Livermore was called up for England selection during his time at the Hawthorns.

He earned seven caps for the Three Lions and was named on Gareth Southgate’s standby list for the 2018 World Cup to mark a remarkable turnaround for his career.

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Livermore tested positive for cocaine in April 2015 while at Hull after revealing he had struggled to come to terms with the tragic death of his baby boy.

Staff claimed the baby was not born alive in May 2014 but heartbroken Livermore said: “I heard him cry faintly.”

The player struggled with depression following the harrowing events while the FA ruled the death was an overwhelming mitigating factor as they opted against a ban.

Livermore, who was born in Enfield, came through the ranks of his local club Tottenham to become a first-team member.

But he was unable to become a regular and was sent out on a series of loans to the likes of MK Dons, Crewe, Derby, Peterborough, Ipswich and Leeds.

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He then spent the 2013/14 campaign at Hull City, which ultimately led to his permanent exit from White Hart Lane to sign for the Tigers at the end of that summer.

Livermore made 92 top-flight appearances for Hull to add to the 36 times he lined-up for Spurs.

And he added another 68 Premier League appearances to his tally while at West Brom.