1 Robbie Paul The Bradford Bulls stand-off is a huge fan of the doomed heroin addict Jean-Michel Basquait and happily spends many an hour after a manly game of rugby league by painting garish but highly competent pictures in his own studio. “It’s not relaxation,” he insists. Don’t get in his way though. “I get very angry when I paint.” He’s going to do it full-time when he retires. Crossly.

2 Rolf Harris Can you guess what his sport is yet? You may not immediately think of swimming when listening to his rendition of Two Little Boys, but in 1946, the great man won the Australian junior backstroke championship in Melbourne, taking just 80 seconds to cover 110 yards. In fact, he was West Australian backstroke and freestyle champion over most distances. Strewth.

3 Kieran Richardson The privately educated Manchester United utility winger/full-back/midfielder/striker (delete where appropriate) may be unsure as to his best position, but he knows what he’s doing when it comes to his leisure activities. For him, drawing is the balm to soothe his confused soul. By all accounts, he’s not bad at it.

4 David James David James is a veritable renaissance man. Not only is he a judge in this year’s One Love: The Football Art Prize, but, as he showed when he helped out on BBC 1’s The Big Draw in 2004, he’s a reasonable artist himself. Except, of course, when he drops his brush.

5 Steven Gerrard The midfield linchpin is a regular visitor to Liverpool’s art galleries and museums and even made a promotional film for the city’s World Museum. “I’ve have started to pass opinions on different pieces from different artists,” he explains. “My favourite is classical art, but I like modern as well: it’s nice on the eye.”

6 Ivan Lendl The former world tennis number one was no fool and invested some of his wealth in an extensive collection of the poster-style paintings by fellow Czech and art nouveau pioneer Alphonse Mucha, who just happened to be a friend of Lendl’s father.

7 Jack Russell When the knowingly eccentric former wicketkeeper, left, was on tour, he alleviated the boredom by eating the baked beans he’d brought with him, drinking gallons of tea and by painting in watercolours to a moderate standard. No wonder he had so few friends.

8 Jean Pierre Rives He was once one of rugby union’s more perceptive captains, but these days Rives is one of France’s more acclaimed sculptors. Working in a shed north of Paris, he casts in iron and his work is seen all over the world from France to Bondi Beach via Ireland. “Sculpture is energy and invention. Rugby is energy and invention sometimes,” he says helpfully.

9 Ernie Barnes Even while playing for Denver Broncos, Ernie Barnes was the official artist of the American Football League. After he retired in 1965, he took up painting full-time and in 1984, became official artist for the Los Angeles Olympics.

10 Jim Whitley When not shoring-up Wrexham’s defence, Jim Whitley is the portrait painter to football’s elite and Robbie Savage. Other sitters have included Ryan Giggs and David Beckham.