Kerry Dixon was once Chelsea's golden boy with the world at his feet, but now he's doing everything he can to get back on them following a 'harrowing' spell in prison which pushed him to the limit.

The former striker remains Chelsea's third-highest scorer of all time, but the 193 goals he scored during nine seasons at Stamford Bridge seemed a world away as he gasped for air in the tiny prison cell he shared with an armed robber.

Dixon was sentenced to nine months in jail in June 2015 following an attack in a Dunstable pub, during which he kicked and punched victim Ben Scoble eight times around the head. Due to the brutality of the attack, pleas for a suspended sentence were ignored after he was found guilty of actual bodily harm.

Kerry Dixon remains Chelsea's third highest scorer behind Frank Lampard and Bob Tambling

But the former striker's life took a different direction before he was jailed for ABH in 2015

Dixon, pictured arriving for sentencing, was jailed for nine months and served four-and-a-half

Prison was the lowest point of a spiral which had seen an out-of-control gambling habit derail Dixon's career, with the former striker slipping down into non-league football and running a pub at a time when he also started to experiment with cocaine.

Drugs proved the catalyst for the incident which ultimately landed Dixon in jail, as he reacted angrily after his victim asked him if he was dealing - so beginning a chapter during which the Chelsea icon experienced the harsh realities of prison life.

Dixon had plenty of time to reflect on how things had gone so badly wrong during his time in prison, which he recalls in his new book 'Up Front', but the tight spaces, long days and questionable company provided him with the biggest test of his life.

The former striker described his time behind bars as being 'boring, lonely and harrowing'

Dixon, pictured against Northern Ireland won eight England caps and scored four goals

DIXON'S LEAGUE CAREER 1980–83: Reading - 116 games/51 goals 1983–92: Chelsea - 335/147 1992–93: Southampton - 9/2 1993–95: Luton Town - 75/19 1995–96: Millwall - 31/9 1996: Watford - 11/0 1996–97: Doncaster Rovers 16/3 1997: Basildon United TOTAL: 593/231 - 0.39 goals a game England: 8 caps, four goals Advertisement

'You hear stories of people having it easy in prison, having a laugh. But it's not easy,' Dixon told The Sun. 'It's lonely, it's scary, it's boring and it's harrowing.

'I didn't realise I was claustrophobic until they put me in the security van to take me from the court to prison. They call it the sweat box but it was more like a metal coffin.

'There's a tiny darkened window but as soon as they slammed the door I had a panic attack and was screaming "let me out, let me out".

'The journey lasted 45 minutes and was the worst thing I'd ever experienced. It borders on inhumane, a heart attack waiting to happen.'

Following his release, Dixon is getting his life back on track and works with a heating engineer

While Dixon says his fall from grace is a chapter he would rather not have had to include in his new book, he knows his honesty is a vital step towards being accepted once again.