In November 2001, he was transferred to Birmingham City for a fee of £1 million, before joining Rotherham United in January 2003, on loan for five months.

Woodhouse stated that he had "fallen out of love" with football and decided to turn to professional boxing, despite no previous experience.

In September 2006, he won his first professional boxing match, defeating Dean Marcantonio, on points, knocking him down twice in the final round.

Woodhouse returned to football in November 2006, joining Rushden & Diamonds in the Conference National before moving to Mansfield Town in January 2009.

Woodhouse began his football career at York City's centre of excellence in 1994,[3] before being transferred to Sheffield United for an initial compensation fee of £2,200.

[4] He made his debut for Sheffield United at the age of 17, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in a 1–0 home win against Crewe Alexandra in the First Division on 29 November 1997.

[8] He made a total of 104 appearances in the Football League, scoring six goals,[5] before being sold to Birmingham City for £1 million in February 2001.

He was arrested after the final of the League Cup, on 25 February 2001, having been charged with affray along with two others after they "trashed" an Indian restaurant and he wielded a chair in a brawl with university students.

[14] Birmingham finished fifth in the First Division, and reached the play-offs, losing in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final, after the game was drawn 2–2 on aggregate.

Birmingham reached the play-offs again for the fourth consecutive season, this time gaining promotion after beating Millwall in the semi-final and Norwich City in the final.

He joined Hull City in May 2005, the club he supported as a child,[27] on a two-year contract for a fee of £25,000, with the potential to rise to £150,000 depending on appearances.

"[33] In the following six weeks he made only two brief substitute appearances[31] – in five months with the club he played 18 games in the Championship without scoring[5] – and the strength of Hull's squad was such that he could not be guaranteed regular first-team football.

[34] In the January 2006 transfer window, he joined Grimsby Town on a two-year deal,[35][36] three years after they first expressed an interest in signing him.

Woodhouse played in both of Grimsby's play-off semi-final victories over Lincoln City,[41][42] setting up the only goal of the game in the first leg.

"[46] He trained under former British featherweight champion, Gary De Roux,[46] and made his boxing debut on 8 September 2006 at Grosvenor House Hotel, London, in a welterweight contest against Dean Marcantonio, despite not having any previous amateur experience.

Woodhouse chose to play for Rushden & Diamonds to fulfil a promise he made to someone who was part of the consortium that took over the Irthlingborough based club.

[52] He then returned to Rushden on 1 March 2007,[53][54] and made a further 11 appearances in the Conference in the 2006–07 season,[5] scoring three goals,[55] including a 30-yard long range effort against Northwich Victoria on 23 April.

[56] After five months away from boxing, Woodhouse returned to the ring for his second fight on 15 April, defeating Duncan Cottier on points after four rounds.

[49][59] Woodhouse finished the 2007–08 football season having played in 29 Conference National matches, scoring once and receiving two red cards.

[5] On 17 May, Woodhouse achieved his sixth straight victory, maintaining his undefeated record against Dave Murray at Bramall Lane, defeating his opponent by knock-out in the second round.

[60] After defeating Wayne Downing in 57 seconds on 21 June 2008,[49] Woodhouse stated his intention to retire from football at the end of the 2008–09 season, to concentrate on his boxing career.

[62] Woodhouse scored a decisive penalty in Rushden's opening game of the 2008–09 season, away on 9 August, against newly promoted Eastbourne Borough.

[49][65] He then proceeded to defeat Peter Dunn on 30 November, stopping him 23 seconds in the sixth and final round at Thurcroft's Consort Hotel, Rotherham.

[70][71] Mansfield manager David Holdsworth hoped Woodhouse would stay at the club,[72] but on 18 June, he joined Conference North team Harrogate Town.

On 25 April, Woodhouse defended the title with a 4th-round knockout of Maurycy Gojko, who stepped in as a late replacement for Steve Saville.

His next fight was due to be against 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and former world amateur champion Frankie Gavin on 18 September, but Woodhouse pulled out days after the bout was announced in July.