Some former links with a magician (6)
I believe the answer is:
merlin
'a magician' is the definition.
(I know that Merlin has the occupation magician)
'some former links with' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some of the parts of the word are used).
'MERLIN' is hidden in the letters of 'former links with'.
(Other definitions for merlin that I've seen before include "Flighty type" , "Kind of hawk or Camelot's magician" , "Magician of the Round Table" , "Arthur's adviser" , "Arthurian wizard" .)