IAN Wilkinson once defended one of the most famous goalmouths in the land . . . but today he's working on the wards of the Royal Bolton Hospital and loving every minute of it. At the age of 14, Ian who is now 25, signed as a schoolboy with Manchester United. After two years he signed as an apprentice full time, playing alongside Ryan Giggs and cleaning the boots of Mark Hughes and Bryan Robson.

Virtually every minute of every day was spent on the football field but Ian, who lives in Warrington, had the foresight even then to look beyond the riches which seemed his for the taking.

Now Ian is a physiotherapist at the Royal Bolton Hospital after injury put paid to what had all the signs of being a glittering goalkeeping career .

As an apprentice working with Jim Leighton, Mark Bosnich and Peter Schmeichel, Ian regularly played for the A and B team and Manchester United Youth Team.

He travelled all over Europe and completed a three day tour of Trinidad and Tobago.

After serving his apprenticeship, Ian signed as a professional and in October '91 he played for the first team against Cambridge in the League Cup and just a couple of weeks later in the Athletico Madrid game at Old Trafford.

Until Christmas 1991 Ian was playing reserve team football but in January 92 his fortunes changed when he tore a ligament in his knee. After recovering he then went on to break his wrist in the August and was out for another six months .

Despite playing a couple of games both Man United and Ian decided to go their separate ways and he signed for Stockport where he played for three months.

A series of niggling injuries resulted in a move to Crewe in October 1993 where he played for two and a half years.

In May 1995 however Ian was forced to take a long hard look at his career after he sustained a detached retina during a training session.

After an operation to repair the damage he contacted the Professional Footballers' Association which supported his efforts to continue with his education.

In September 1994 he joined a physiotherapy degree course which fits in with a footballer's schedule with classes out of season, late afternoons and evenings.

In June this year he completed his studies and gained a BSc Honours in physiotherapy.

Part of the course involved work at the Royal Bolton Hospital and in June this year Ian secured a full time physiotherapy job.

"I'd be lying if I said there weren't things about the life which I didn't miss, but at the end of the day I had to look at the future and be realistic," he said. "Even now I still get letters from fans wanting to keep a check on where I am and what I'm doing," said Ian.

He is currently working on the medical wards where there are a few who, knowing of Ian's background, can't resist the odd query about Giggsy.

"You sometimes think what could have been, but I'm happy here and enjoying the work," he said. "I don't yet know if I'll specialise in sports physiotherapy, but I have a feeling I might just do."

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