Over the course of his career, Michael Chopra’s net-finding abilities have cost clubs in excess of £9million in transfer fees. Once tipped as Alan Shearer’s heir apparent during his formative days at Newcastle United, he made a fortune in English football, lost a chunk of it through a well- publicised gambling addiction, and most recently played in the Indian Super League with Kerala Blasters. Now, in a move that caused Scottish football to perform a collective double take, Chopra has joined Championship strugglers Alloa Athletic until the end of the season. Michael Chopra appears for Alloa Athletic for the first time against Rangers at Ibrox on Tuesday . The 31-year-old made his debut as an injury-time substitute during Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Rangers at Ibrox, confirming that this remarkable coup by a part-time club hadn’t actually been some form of elaborate hoax. Among the many questions that sprang up from his appearance in a black-and-gold jersey, a simple one seemed the most obvious: Why? ‘Once I finished in India, my main objective was to get back and I’ve been looking around at what leagues I could play in,’ said Chopra, a former England youth international who was most prolific during two spells at Cardiff City. ‘The last week I’ve been training at Port Vale and I got a phone call on Monday asking if I would like to come to Alloa, and I jumped at the chance. ‘This isn’t a financial thing because I could have got more money from one of the offers I had in England but I just want to play and get some goals. Chopra (right) comes on as a substitute during the second half of the Scottish Championship match . Chopra speaks on his phone as he walks on the pitch ahead of the Rangers match on Tuesday . ‘It’s a challenge for me but, if I can help keep Alloa in the Championship, then it will have been well worth it. ‘I’m also desperate to play in the Petrofac Training Cup Final (against Livingston on April 5) because I’ve never actually won anything in the game and it would be brilliant if we won that. People ask me if I even knew of Alloa but I did — I actually watched them beat Rangers 3-2 on the telly earlier in the season! ‘I loved it at Ibrox the other night when I got a couple of minutes. I can’t believe Alloa are where they are in the league. ‘I’ve never played in Scotland before but I thought the standard was good and the fitness levels unbelievable when you consider we’re part-time. ‘Honestly, I played for Blackpool admittedly during some hard times for that club (last season) but this Alloa team is better than that Blackpool one. Alan Shearer (right) celebrates with Chopra after scoring for Newcastle against Wigan in April 2006 . ‘And here at least you know the guys will give 100 per cent. You know you will get a shift from the guy next to you and that’s not always been the case elsewhere.’ Chopra hopes his influence will also be felt outside of match scenarios. His aim is to copy the illustrious names who aided his own career by helping develop the more youthful players at Recreation Park. ‘I remember when I was at Newcastle and I was a young boy, I was playing with Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Patrick Kluivert and they gave me the best experience possible,’ recalled Chopra. ‘They made me the player I am today and I’ll be looking to try and help all the young boys at the club and passing my experience on. ‘I will stay up here a lot of the time, although I’m going back to Newcastle this weekend because my son plays football and I can’t miss his game! ‘Otherwise, I will be up here training and playing, and I’m hoping to be able to train with St Mirren on a Friday if that can be finalised. ‘I’m also going to be coaching the kids on a Wednesday night. I want to put something back in and community coaching will be good.’ Chopra celebrates a goal for Sunderland against Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light in September 2008 . Chopra (centre) in action for Cardiff against Dagenham and Redbridge in the Carling Cup first round in 2009 . Chopra’s advice may also extend to the perils of gambling. During a court case in 2013, he estimated he had blown around £2m through the vice. He was still a teenager when involved in card games on the Newcastle team bus that could see up to £30,000 in cash change hands. Chopra also claimed the main reason he joined Sunderland in 2007 was because the signing-on fee would pay off his debts. His situation deteriorated to such a point that he told the court he had been threatened by loan sharks at the Ipswich Town training ground during a later stint in Suffolk. Chopra then sought help from the Sporting Chance clinic, the facility set up by former England defender Tony Adams to treat behavioural problems such as alcohol, drug and gambling addictions in professional and amateur sports people. ‘I’ve had problems, well- documented ones, in the past but I’ve moved on,’ he insisted. ‘Everyone makes mistakes and I certainly made some but I’ve put all that behind me. I’m trying to be positive, I’ve cleaned up my act and I’m on the straight and narrow.’ Chopra isn’t discounting still being at Alloa next season and clearly has a genuine hunger to be scoring again after an injury-scarred spell in India. Chopra warms up ahead of a match between Blackpool and Birmingham at Bloomfield Road in February 2014 . Chopra (left) plays for Kerala Blasters against Atletico de Kolkata in the Indian Super League last December . ‘That was a great experience,’ he said. ‘My dad is Indian, so that made it more interesting as well. Unfortunately I suffered a hamstring injury early on and then I ruptured my ankle ligaments, but it was still great seeing it all. ‘My team-mates included Stephen Pearson and Jamie McAllister. I spoke to Jamie about this move the other night and he was very encouraging. ‘Now I just want to give it my best shot and help Alloa as much as I can — and if things go well I certainly wouldn’t rule out staying on. Alloa are very ambitious. ‘But right now I am only thinking about playing and doing well and I haven’t spent too much time thinking of what will happen beyond the summer.’ Key to the completion of one of the most fascinating transfers of the season was Lee Ebden, Alloa’s head of player recruitment. Chopra (left) shakes hands with Alloa caretaker manager Paddy Connolly at Ibrox on Tuesday . ‘I heard Michael could be available through my contacts and, after that, I did a bit of homework — including speaking to Chris Hutchins, who was assistant manager at Ipswich when Michael was there — and got glowing references,’ said Ebden. ‘Chairman Mike Mulraney was very supportive as always and gave me the go-ahead. ‘Michael is within our budget. He will get the same bonus as the other lads if we stay in the Championship and, if he helps us do that, then he will have been well worth the effort. ‘We’ve made a massive statement because we are desperate to stay in this league and then look to do better next season when, who knows, Michael could still be with us.’
Michael Chopra signed for Alloa Athletic on Tuesday . The 31-year-old striker made his debut against Rangers at Ibrox . Chopra's former clubs include Newcastle, Cardiff and Sunderland .