WHEN you talk about dream jobs in football then former Wrexham defender Shaun Pejic must rank right up there.

Pejic played more than 200 games for the Reds, winning promotion, the Football League Trophy in Cardiff as well as being in the team relegated from the Football League in 2008.

Now 36, Pejic has used his experiences in the game that also included spells with York, Barrow, Bangor City and in North America with Vancouver Whitecaps and Crystal Palace Baltimore.

And it’s in Vancouver where Pejic talks passionately about his top job - a producer on the team that makes the FIFA video game.

“With any new job, you work hard and prepare for it,” said Pejic. “I came for a tour around EA with some ideas and some feedback about the game and the next thing I knew I had a job offer to work on the gameplay team.

“I’ve been here six years plus now and my current role is an Associate Producer. My role is to design new features for FIFA to make the game more fun and a more realistic simulation of the beautiful game.

“I come up with the ideas and work with a very intelligent and talented team of people to implement them into FIFA gameplay.

“Ever since I can remember I’ve been playing video games. I’ve always been a nerd deep down and if you know me well, you’ll know I’m very introverted.

“When I joined the team at Electronic Arts, I felt like I was around people who understood my personality and I’d found a team where I truly belong.”

Vancouver - the team Pejic played for in 2009 after his nine year stay as a first teamer at Wrexham ended - is now where he calls home.

“I now live in Vancouver with my wife and dog,” added Pejic. “So yes, I’m settled down in a beautiful city and life is good. I ended up here mainly because, to be honest, I fell out of love with playing football and I needed a change.

“The night before our wedding day in Chicago, my wife accepted a job back in Vancouver, the city where we met, and I looked forward to the chance to start fresh doing something new.

“Fast forward a few months and I was sitting in a room at Electronic Arts in Vancouver with the guys who make FIFA and they were offering me the job.

“For me that was a dream come true and that opportunity turned the light inside of me back on again and reignited my passion for football.”

Pejic was passionate re-living his time at The Racecourse and the unforgettable 2-0 win over Southend at The Millennium Stadium 14 years ago.

“It was an amazing time for both players and fans,” added Pejic, whose father, Mel - an ex-Wrexham player - was the club’s physio at the time.

“I’ll never forget that, but the thing that stands out in my memory is as soon as the referee blew the final whistle was my dad sprinted on the pitch from the bench and hugged me with a tear in his eye. I’ve never seen him run so fast before!

“Working with your father has those great moments, but also being known as ‘the Son of...’ for any job isn’t easy.

“There is extra pressure from your team-mates and the supporters and, I’m not going to lie, there were times where you hear things like ‘You’re only here because of your dad.’

“As you can imagine, this wasn’t easy to hear as a young footballer trying to make a name for yourself.”

If that was the high, being part of Brian Little’s Wrexham team who were relegated from League Two in 2008 was Pejic’s all-time low.

“For any squad of players who get relegated to a lower league it’s never easy, no matter what division you’re in, but going out of the Football League and into the Conference had its own challenges as a player,” said Pejic.

“I remember rumours that we’d be going from a full-time club to a part-time club and all the stress that comes with that.

“I don’t fully remember the timing, but this was close to when we went into administration and the players and staff were obviously concerned with these difficulties that came with all of those conversations. It was definitely a difficult time.”

Pejic left Wrexham in their first season in non-league football and he still keeps tabs on the team’s results and is backing Bryan Hughes to turn the club’s fortunes around.

“Living in Vancouver makes it difficult to watch any Wrexham games, but I always look at the results and keep up with what’s happening,” said Pejic.

“I thought this was the year where they’d get promoted, and it’s a shame that didn’t work out.

“I hope Bryan Hughes can improve the team and make the push next year.

“I know my Dad played with Bryan, and though I was too young at the time Bryan was playing for Wrexham, I do remember training with him when I was about 14 on an off-school day and he probably megged me a few times.

“I’ll certainly be looking out for the results next year and hope they can get back into the Football League.”

As for his own future, Pejic is just happy that he took a risk as his own career was faltering back home, to try his luck in Vancouver.