SINGAPORE, Jan 19 — Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant signed with a Singapore football club today, hoping to revive what was once one of the game’s most promising careers and help boost the ailing local professional league.

The 33-year-old reformed wild boy joined Tampines Rovers, five-time winners in the local S-League under a one-year contract.

Tampines chairman Krishna Ramachandra would not give details of his salary, telling reporters it was a “sexy” figure.

The Straits Times newspaper said last week that Pennant will be paid about S$40,000 (RM121,926) a month, or less than a quarter of his last drawn salary with Wigan Athletic.

Despite the hefty cut, however, Pennant will be the highest paid player in the S-League’s 21-year history.

“No matter where you go in the world, it’s always a great chance to prove yourself,” said Pennant, who has insisted that his wild days are behind him following the birth of his son in 2010.

“It’s not a lesser league but a different chapter,” Pennant added, referring to the S-League, which has suffered from waning attendances.

Pennant will don the number nine jersey for Tampines, the league’s runners-up last season.

The winger had been on trial with the club since arriving in the Southeast Asian city-state on January 7.

“The financial component (of the contract) is one not typical to what we traditionally pay our players. We’ve been fortunate that couple of sponsors who have stepped up to absorb the cost associated with the signing on,” Ramachandra told AFP last week.

Team officials hope that Pennant’s star appeal could help revive the S-League, which has seen dwindling attendances since crowds of 30,000 packed the stands during the inaugural season in 1996.

Fans’ interest rekindled

“It will inject more confidence into the fanbase. In the long term, this is the necessary fillip that Singapore football has needed,” Ramachandra said.

More than 1,200 fans turned up to catch Pennant in action in Tampines’ 2-0 pre-season friendly victory over Hougang United on January 9, a surprise turnout considering that attendances at S-League games have been averaging less than 1,000 in recent years.

Ahead of today’s signing, a Facebook fan page for Pennant was set up.

Pennant had started off his career on a promising note.

He was once England’s most expensive teenager when he was snapped up for two millions pounds by Arsenal as a precocious 15-year-old.

He was acquired by Liverpool in 2006 for 6.7 million pounds.

He later featured for a number of clubs including Stoke City, Wolves, Wigan and Spanish side Real Zaragoza.

But Pennant’s career was marred by his off-pitch misdemeanours, including disciplinary issues and drink-driving convictions.

In 2005, while on loan from Arsenal at Birmingham City, Pennant played wearing an electronic tag after being freed from jail for drink-driving.

Despite his chequered past, Ramachandra has been impressed by the player, describing him as a “total professional”.

Before arriving in Singapore, Pennant also had a spell with Pune City in India and tried out with Thai Premier League outfit Muangthong United. — AFP