Eccleshill United assistant manager Andy Patterson may only be young but he is concentrating his efforts off the field in his new coaching role next season.

The new Eagles number two spent his youth as a Bradford City striker, a squad member who played against many of today's top players in the Premier Reserve League while the Bantams were in the top flight of English football.

Having returned to Thackley for a couple seasons - the club where he began his junior days - he moved north to play in the Scottish League with East Fife before returning to his birthplace to start a family.

At 26 he is still a relative nipper in playing terms but, having seen former team-mate David Wetherall struggle to combine the role of playing and managing at Valley Parade last season, Patterson has no plans to take to the field in the forthcoming campaign.

"It is safe to say that I won't be playing for Eccleshill this coming season unless it is an emergency," he said this week.

"David was at City when I was there and he is a very educated, knowledgeable man who will make a great coach and manager one day. "I have seen him at close hand working with players and I know he will make the grade as a boss.

"But he said he found it difficult last season trying to look after the team and stay focused enough to play.

"If people like him are saying it is too hard to do both then that must be the case. I haven't fallen out of love with playing the game but I have found something I enjoy even more.

"Some people have said to me that it is a wasted talent but I want to give the coaching and management my best shot.

"I haven't played seriously for more than a year. I'm not at my fighting weight but I won't say I'll never play again."