YOUNG Guiseley AFC utiliy player Paul Ryan has landed a dream job. The sports mad youngster has started work as an assistant to the PE teachers at Keighley's Oakbank School, which has sports college status.

The 20 year-old from Low Moor, Bradford, has rapidly made a name for himself as one of UniBond Premier Division side Guiseley's rising young stars. After joining the club straight from junior soccer he made a rapid rise from the reserve side to the first team and although his progress has been blighted somewhat by injuries he has shown enough talent to demonstrate that he has a future in the game.

He gave particularly impressive displays in last season's FA Trophy run against Welling and Stevenage Borough - recent FA Cup protagonists of Newcastle United -and has continued to make good progress.

Last season he played for Bradford Under-19s in their annual game against Glasgow but left Hampden Park with an ankle injury which kept him out of the start of the current season.

This was a great disappointment to him with the left-back berth up for grabs with regular No 3 England amateur international Colin Hogarth missing four games through suspension.

Ryan, who has become a great favourite with the Guiseley crowd, is now looking to impress new manager Bobby Davison.

The former Leeds United striker has taken over as player-manager and with a keen eye for young talent Ryan hopes to be one of those to impress him. Guiseley have plenty of experienced players from whom Ryan can learn for as well as Davison they have his former Leeds United colleague Andy Williams, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Des Hazel, former Doncaster Rovers defender Paul Bottomley as well as Howard Wilkinson's first signing for Leeds - Neil Parsley and former Lincoln City and Halifax Town striker Neil Matthews.

Of his job at Oakbank Ryan said: 'I spotted an advert in the paper and applied for the job. It is a real dream come true for me.'

Ryan is employed on a full-time basis to assist the PE staff with sports lessons and in coaching school soccer teams, girls as well as boys.

'It is probably the only job of its kind in this area, ' said Ryan, ' and I am very pleased to have it. As well as soccer I assist with athletics and volleyball and I have just gained a badminton coaching qualification.'

'My experience is mainly in soccer and I coach Years 9, 10 and 11 boys as well as girls teams. The girls play in a five-a-side league and I coach three of the teams,' said Paul.

The former Wyke Manor Schoolboy has an FA Junior Team Manager's Caoching Award and is set to do his full FA Licence in April.

As well as aiming to get a regular place in the Guiseley side Paul has other things to look forward to but particularly a trip to the World Cup In France.

'Oakbank are taking the Year 10 boys team as well as a mixed age girls team to France for a week dur

ing the World Cup. We will play matches and also hope to take in two

of the World Cup games including France's opener in the new stadium. That will be a great exsperience for us all,' said Paul.

Paul has a dual role at the school as pupil and teacher for as well as his full-time job he has also been allowed to take an A Level sports studies course at the school.

'There are eight PE teachers at the school so I am gaining valuable experience from working with them. It is brilliant to be able to combine working with continuing my studies and I am grateful to Oakbank for all they are doing for me,' said Paul.

The Head of PE at Oakbank is Helen Plimmer, the England Ladies

cricketer, while Paul also gains valuable experience in team management from Oakbank Colleague Tristan Wallhead.

Tristan is manager of the Bradford Boys Under-14 side and he has taken Paul on as his assistant manager.

Paul tasted the heady success of victory in his first game as a manager.

He explained: 'Tristan was unable to take the team today so I was manager and we had a 2-0 win over Calderdale which I was well pleased with.'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.