A TEENAGE Bolton goalkeeper has been handed the chance of a lifetime by Premiership giants Manchester City.
Radcliffe Boro keeper Danny Hurst is currently having a trial spell at Maine Road and he is determined to prove he has what it takes to make it at the top.
City have been monitoring the progress of the 19-year-old since impressing the Blues' goalkeeping coach Alex Stepney in a pre-season friendly.
Danny, who works for Halliwell-based printing firm Print, Art and Design, has been earning rave reviews for Unibond League Division One Boro. But his big Premiership break is all the more surprising as he has only played 12 games at non-league level.
Three years ago he was playing in the Lancashire Amateur League with Bolton County. He spent two seasons with Cheadle Town before joining Boro in the summer.
He arrived at Stainton Park as second choice to Steve Berryman but got his chance when the No 1 injured his shoulder before the start of the season.
He has been a revelation since and Boro boss Kevin Glendon described him as: "A fantastic find for us. He's going to go a long way."
This week he went to Maine Road where he spent five days training alongside City's England Under-21 star Nicky Weaver and veteran Northern Ireland international Tommy Wright.
He said: "When I arrived at Radcliffe Boro at the start of the season I was told I wouldn't be playing straight away but Steve Berryman got injured and I took my chance.
"I wasn't even expecting to be playing first team football a couple of months ago and now I'm having a trial with Manchester City.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for me and it gives me the chance to show what I can do.
"I rate my performance at Marine a couple of weeks ago as the best I have ever played and I've been looking forward to this week at City.
"It'll be a bit different to what I've been used to and I've got to thank the people I work for for letting me have the time off, they've been very good about it."
Boro boss Glendon said: "We're chuffed to bits for Danny because the experience will do him a lot of good."
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