PENSIONER Bill Hatchman boasts a footballing achievement that the brilliance of David Beckham has never come close to matching.

The 65-year-old football fan once scored a hat-trick wearing a special pair of boots -- his WELLIES!

His success was achieved at school, when he was aged 11, and the memory has remained with him ever since.

The memorable feat happened in the post-war days of 1946 when soccer boots were rare.

Bill said: "I was playing in an inter-form competition at Folds Lane Secondary School and my goals helped us to win the game.

"From what I remember, the pitch was muddy so the wellies helped no end."

The ardent Bolton Wanderers fan used to watch the Trotters play at Burnden Park and lived yards away from the old ground in Weston Street.

As a young footballer he started playing in Bolton's boys' leagues when he was 14, three years after slipping into proper football boots for the first time.

In his time, Bill, of Abingdon Road, Bolton, has been a player, manager and coach.

He is now the registration secretary of the Bolton Boys' Federation and looks after more than 2,000 players and 110 teams.

One of those who have had to put up with his fanaticism is his wife, Pat.

When former Wanderers star Nat Lofthouse presented him with a Goldline Award at the Reebok Stadium for his services to Bolton, he, in turn, gave his wife a silver plaque.

It read: "To Pat, for putting up with me and football for all our married life, love Bill."

He said: "Pat has never been a big football fan but she always supported me.

"I was never any great shakes as a player but I loved the game and that's all that matters."

His favourite player is former England ace Geoff Hurst who scored in England's famous 1966 World Cup victory. And he insists it WAS a goal.

Bill added: "If the referee thought it was, then it was. It was a fine moment in football and one I was proud to see.

"I think every lad wants to play professional football. It was always one of my dreams."