Every footballer's career is a journey but few could point to one as diverse as John Irving, who arrived at Auckland City from Everton via Bala and Ngaruawahia.
Irving is a tough, quick defender who helped Auckland City to the minor premiership of the ASB Premiership and tomorrow take on cross-town rivals Waitakere United in the first leg of their semifinal. It's a big game, by New Zealand standards, but not the sort of derby Irving might have dreamed of being involved in when he was growing up in Liverpool.
The 24-year-old was on the books of English Premier League outfit Everton from the age of five until 20 and was even on the bench for the first team a handful of times in pre-season games. When his last contract expired, however, his football career took a dispiriting downward spiral.
He spent four years at Bala Town, in the Welsh Premier League and even scored the goal to help them to first round qualifying of the Europa League, but he became disillusioned. On the recommendation of former Everton teammate Steven Morrison, who now plays for Canterbury United, he ventured to Ngaruawahia.
"I thought if I got released from Everton there would be someone [willing to sign me] because I had been at a Premiership club for near enough my whole life,'' he said. ``I had been trained by some of the best coaches in the country but no one was willing to take a risk and give me a go.
