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"I've seen gifted players not make it who are now tarmacking the streets"

His playing days came to a premature end and this ex-Leeds United striker is ensuring the next generation are ready for a life in or out of football

Neil Ross remembers asking one of his club managers whether or not he could do a personal training qualification while out injured after knee surgery. “Don’t be f*cking stupid,” was the reply. “You’re a football player.”

The striker was on the books of a league club then – playing professionally – but that exchange signalled to him that not enough was being done to prepare players in the event that football didn't work out.