Advertisers get online access to top-flight footballers

LONDON - An online directory aimed solely at Britain's 4,000 professional footballers is launching next month with 30 advertisers including car manufacturer Alfa Romeo and retailer Harvey Nichols.

Platinum Players was conceived by Middlesborough defender Andrew Taylor and will go live on September 1.

It is free for players to use and will be funded by fees and advertising from participating companies, which include car marque , travel agents Camper & Nicholas and Japanese restaurant Nobu.

Taylor is marketing the website to fellow footballers from Manchester United's megastars down to players for League Two clubs such as Notts County and Grimsby.

The 23 year-old footballer, who came up with the idea after being overcharged by handymen for doing work on his house, told the Hartlepool Mail: "The idea of this website is not to make money, but simply to help players find prestigious brands and companies that are trustworthy.

"It will not be a concierge service where we do all the running around, it is more a case of us pointing players in the right direction."

Other footballers have also set up ambitious projects. In February Manchester United defender , Rio, to a database of 500,000 recipients.

In 2005 former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp and his wife Louise launched a bi-monthly print magazine called Icon.

It was originally targeted at professional footballers but later widened its readership to other sportspeople, actors and celebrities.