YORK City’s new signing Clarke Carlisle has received manager Gary Mills’ blessing to continue pursuing his burgeoning media career and work as Professional Footballers’ Association chairman.

Carlisle has appeared on BBC’s Question Time, Match Of The Day 2 and Sky Sports in recent times and is also halfway through a Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting degree.

The winner of 2002’s Britain’s Brainiest Footballer contest, who also boasts five A* grades and five As at GCSE level, is planning for a future outside of the game but, at 32, insists he remains committed to his on-pitch profession first and foremost.

“I’ve had a word with the manager because one of the biggest things for current professionals is formulating an exit strategy,” the former Burnley and Leeds defender admitted. “I’m doing that presently and, as long as it does not impede on my training and playing commitments, the manager has agreed that I can continue doing one or two things.

“I am diversifying and preparing for a future career but I don’t want to start that future career yet because I am still a professional footballer who is delighted to have been given a chance to play for York City.”

Carlisle, who once played alongside the likes of John Terry and Ashley Cole for England under-21s, plied his trade in the Premier League for Burnley as recently as 2010.

He was also named man of the match in the Clarets’ Championship play-off final victory a year earlier and the one-time Countdown contestant is now hoping he can draw on all of that experience to compensate for a lack of recent match action.

He added: “I’ve done individual work since the end of last season but that doesn’t compare to being in a squad environment. Training also does not compare to playing matches.

“I’ve told the gaffer I will be a bit behind the other lads but I am a worker and I will catch up as soon as possible. I believe I’m at a stage in my career that, if I am thrown into the fray, I can manage to get through games while I regain my match fitness.”

Carlisle also believes joining a club still enjoying the positive forces that only a double-winning Wembley campaign can provide will help his acclimatisation.

“What I have learned throughout my career is that maintaining the momentum of success is a lot easier than reversing the momentum of failure,” he pointed out. “I think everybody here has seen that if the side go 1-0 down, they still think they can win and it’s the same if it’s 0-0 with ten minutes to go.

“If you’re losing all the time, though, you go a goal down and it’s a case of here we go again or, if it’s 0-0 with ten minutes to go, you’re thinking can we hang on. Different mentalities provoke different reactions.

“From what I’ve seen here, the team has that confidence that comes with a successful mentality and I’m really looking forward to being part of that.”

Having ended last season with Northampton, Carlisle also believes the key to success in League Two is getting the basics right.

He said: “Like most leagues, I think the margins between success and failure are minute. The difference is often being organised, clinical and resilient as a side.

“At Northampton, we went away to last season’s champions Swindon and dominated them for long periods but they were very organised and took the two chances that came their way to beat us 2-0.

“There are generally no teams that stand out in League Two. They are all usually strong and organised and it just comes down to the odd changes in formations from one game to the next.

“There are none that particularly play right the way through from the back or none that are completely direct.

“What I love about the gaffer here, though, is that he’s all about what we can do.

“He focuses on our strengths and what we bring to the game. That brings a confidence and a courage in your own ability.”