WOULD-BE footballer Geoff Bromilow went to university and qualified as a mechanical engineer.

Success in life came later, however, when he took a big chance with an entirely unrelated business venture.

He spent more than 20 years developing the Aquasun Travel retail chain and then sold it recently -- for an undisclosed sum -- to Travelcare, the CWS-owned travel group.

Mr Bromilow, aged 55, who lives in Heaton, Bolton, can afford to relax a little now, play more golf and enjoy future travels.

But he will not be totally idle as he continues to look after the property interests he retains locally and in the Algarve in Portugal.

Mr Bromilow was in reflective mood when we met for coffee on a wet day in Bolton and discussed a business career built mostly on sunshine holidays.

"For the first 10 years I worked very long hours," he said.

Dealing with problems at 2am was commonplace, but he never regretted it.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the industry," he said.

"It is a lovely one to be involved in and I have met a lot of super people along the way."

He says 46 Aquasun staff working in branches in Walkden, Middleton, Bolton, Heywood and Littleborough are in "good hands" following the CWS deal.

Although he is not employed by the new owners, he has agreed to be available for a few months should his advice be needed.

Mr Bromilow was born in Farnworth and brought up in Westhoughton, where his father, the late Ken Bromilow, ran a potato crisp factory with his wife Edith.

He later started a Walkden-based property development business.

"I was brought up in a business environment", Geoff Bromilow said.

He went to Westhoughton Parochial School, Bolton School and Manchester University, where he took a BSc in Mechanical Engineering.

His talents as a footballer (inside forward) led to him spending time on Bolton Wanderers' books between 1963 and 1969 before he took the surgeon's advice after a series of knee operations and retired from the game.

He played while he was at university and later during a spell as a mechanical engineer at the Shell chemical plant at Carrington -- a rare amateur in a professional game. After leaving Shell he moved to Churchgate House in Churchgate, Bolton and worked in sales for Burroughs Machines for about 10 years, developing an interest in computers.

He turned down job offers in London and Detroit and decided instead on a leap into the unknown.

Aquasun Holidays -- established in Memorial Road, Walkden in 1979 -- specialised in holidays to Malta and grew out of his father's contacts with Maltese property owners.

Mr Bromilow found himself as Managing Director with a 25 per cent shareholding and the need to "get on with it."

Before long the business was flying 20,000 passengers a year from Manchester and other UK airports.

A small retail arm -- Aquasun Travel -- was established half a mile away in Bridgewater Road to sell holidays in Majorca, Ibiza and the Algarve.

Mr Bromilow left the Maltese operation amicably in 1987 and continued to develop his 100 per cent stake in Aquasun Travel until this year's sale.

So does he still support Bolton Wanderers?

"I go on the odd occasion, but I am not an avid watcher," he said. I've probably watched more rugby league at Wigan over the last 10 years."