A former star player at Tottenham Hotspur has visited a Waltham Forest College to mark the growing success of a partnership programme. 

Club ambassador Ledley King was surrounded by students with a similar sporting ambition as he unveiled a plaque at the college’s Forest Road site.

The ceremony celebrated the achievement of an ongoing programme founded three years ago between the Premier League club's foundation and the borough’s largest college.

Designed to reach out to those at risk of leaving education and training after leaving school, the programme of BTEC and HNC courses, has now trebled in size from 50 to 150 students and has a 95 per cent pass rate.   

During yesterday’s presentation, Mr King revealed he is training to become a coach after retiring from professional football in 2012 due a chronic knee injury.

"I am taking my coaching badges and learning new skills. 

"Becoming a coach and possibly a manager is something I want to strive for.

"In my career I saw plenty of good players fall by the wayside because they did not work hard enough. 

"My advice would be to work hard and follow your dream," said Mr King. 

The partnership could also bring about employment opportunities for students as the construction of the club's new state-of-the-art stadium in Northumberland Park gets underway.

Chief executive Grant Cornwall of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation added: "Waltham Forest College is a key partner for us and this plaque is a way of saying thank you to them."

"We are building a new stadium and there will be job opportunities in construction, IT and catering and we are looking to set up employment skills and training programmes in these areas with the college."