DANIEL EAST was once between the sticks for clubs like Wolves and Brighton.
But after failing to make it to the top of the beautiful game, he’s now making his own way as a successful Ed Sheeran tribute act.
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East, 31, is a former goalkeeper who came through the ranks at Wolves.
He spent several years at Molineux without making a single senior appearance.
And the stopper ended up joining Brighton in 2011.
However, East also struggled for opportunities on the south coast.
Spells at clubs like Enfield and Colwyn Bay yielded few results too.
And East decided to call it a day in 2014 after a six-month stay at Stalybridge aged just 21.
But the ace quickly found a new calling in music.
East, a keen guitar player, soon became a popular singer at a local pub.
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His fine playing and smooth voice quickly landed him with requests for weddings and christenings.
And after accepting one gig to do a Sheeran tribute set, East eventually decided to follow the ways of the ginger crooner full-time.
He is now one of the UK’s top tribute acts to Ipswich mega-fan Sheeran, who has sold over 150million albums worldwide and set a global record for the highest-grossing concert tour in history.
East is hoping for even more success on the stage as he models himself on singers like Gary Barlow and Michael Buble.
And he’s hoping to become a regular on the football circuit too, having already performed at the weddings of Brighton star Lewis Dunk and Rangers ace Conor Goldson.
East told Express and Star: “I have had to study [Sheeran] performing to get everything as close as possible and at one point I was watching his videos on You Tube for four or five hours a day.
“Now I am in a fortunate position where I can perform a mixture of styles and if someone books me, it is a question of what they want.
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“I do a lot of events as Ed Sheeran, such as festivals, tribute nights or three-course meals, and perform as myself at weddings, christenings and funerals.
“I do feel I can be as good as some of the really top singers.
“I don’t think I will ever be able to write songs like Gary Barlow does, but in terms of his voice, the whole package, people like Michael Buble and Alfie Boe, that is what I have to aspire to.
“I don’t want that to sound arrogant, but I don’t see any problem in aiming as high as you can, and I know I would never have been able to say that a few years ago.
“It is so different to the football – ask me then and I’d probably have said there is no way I would ever be good enough.
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“But I feel that I am now where I am meant to be, I have something to really believe in and push for, and I have the confidence to back that up.
“When I perform now, sometimes I feel a few nerves, but my main emotion is being calm, and just focusing on going out on stage and giving a good performance.”