Work forced postman to call it a day

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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At the tender age of 26, former England youth international Jerome Watt has ended his football career.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers trainee, who has played alongside Premier League stars such as Darren Bent, Stewart Downing and David Bentley, has been forced into the drastic measure due to work commitments.

Preston man Watt, who has made 15 appearances for Lancaster City this season, works as a postman in Preston but a re-organisation of Royal Mail means the pacey wide man will not finish his round until 2pm on a Saturday.

The later finish gives Watt no chance at all to get to games and he has reluctantly decided to call it a day.

Watt said: “I work as a postman and I do not finish work now until 2pm.

“So my football career has completely stopped. Ultimately, it stopped six weeks ago. I’ve been a postman for three years. It was my first ever job, I had never worked before because obviously I had been a professional.

“The systems are all changing at work. There is nothing I can do about it.

“Obviously my job comes first. It pays the mortgage. But playing football is all I have ever known.

“It does mean I will get to spend more time with my partner, Louise, and my little girl Amelia, who is two.

“I also have another little girl on the way.

“I spoke to Lancaster manager Tony Hesketh and he was disappointed. He didn’t want to lose me but there’s nothing I can do.”

It was only three years ago that Watt was at Northampton Town and scored on his debut against Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup.

The former Fulwood High School pupil was hot property as a youngster and played for England at schoolboy level right up to Under-20s level.

In all, he has represented the Three Lions on more than 30 occasions and was a member of England youth squads which competed in two European Championship tournaments. “I have played in Brazil, Hungary, France and Italy for England,” he added.

“I played in two European Championship tournaments. We got to the semi-finals of one which was at St James’ Park in front of 33,000 spectators.

“We got beaten by France 4-0 and after that match Liverpool signed Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama Pongolle, who played for the French in that game.

“Fernando Torres was the player of the tournament.

“In the England team were Liam Ridgewell, Glen Johnson, Peter Whittingham David Bentley, Stewart Downing and Darren Bent.”

After sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury at the age of 20, Watt was eventually released by Rovers manager at the time Mark Hughes.

He was immediately snapped up by former England assistant manager John Gorman at Northamption.

He managed to get a run of games for the Cobblers but when Gorman left Sixfields and was replaced by Stuart Gray, Watt found himself out of favour.

Spells at Morecambe, Salisbury City, Rochdale, Southport and Fleetwood Town ensued, before Watt was signed by Lancaster in 2009.

Watt feels injuries and his size hampered his progress as a professional. He said: “I remember I never thought I would play under Graeme Souness at Rovers because of my size – I am only 5ft 8in

“If I could go back, then maybe there are a few things I would have done differently.

“I did have a lot of injuries but that’s no excuse.”

Despite playing in such talented company in his early days as a footballer, Watt has no regrets that his football career took a different path from the stars he once played alongside. He said: “I feel very fortunate about what I have done in football. Not many people have done what I have done. A lot of people would have loved to have been in the same position as me.

“I feel very fortunate that I have played in the Football League and represented my country more than 30 times – that’s how I look at it.

“The players I played with have done what they have done. I did what I did and I have no regrets.

[pants123]

that's royal mail for you,,, don't care about anyone,,, or who you are,, or help those who try to achieve great strides in life... they don't care about people..... it's all back to the stone age folks with royal mail........ next it will be " please sir can i have some more".............. no work work work work, no food for you today and don't even think about wanting the toilet...........

[clashcityrocker]

He could always play Sunday league.
Or 5-a-side on Wednesday nights.

[dvbuk55]

He could always play Sunday league.
Or 5-a-side on Wednesday nights.

Some of our lads do both, though they haven't the pedigree that lad has. Still it is a personal choice and really that's just what it boils down to. Apart from his job at RM he would also have been paid a not inconsiderable amount for playing for those lesser teams.

Personally I could spend all day in bed if RM would sponsor me

[Darren Bent]

I would give up the job instead of football, the club could find him something to do with them or their sponsors.

[Bongos]

I know some refs who will have to give up football because of the caring Family Friendly Royal Mail. I used to ref School Boy Football on A Saturday Morning Kicking off at 1030AM teams like Cambridge Utd, Peterbrough Utd etc then in came later Saturdays and that was the end of that, when the new duties come in it will be a push to get to see my local side, Norwich and ipswich fans won't be able to get to use there season tickets (any refund please Royal Mail)

Getting back to the young lad giving up his Football at 26 it's hard to know what to do Family or sport. Good luck to him whatever he does but i hope he tries to find another job so he can get out of this mess and carry on with his football

[lemming 2002]

I'm in a similar boat, only mine's with coaching footy, the later starts will mean the team i've built over the last 3 season's (which hasn't lost a game in that time ) will have to find a new manager or fold, i believe its a RM ploy to push all full timers to the brink, as the majority of these have been around for a long time and can remember how the job used to be when the public were happy with the service. They've got us over a barrel as there is nothing we can do and they know that 99% of the part timers will be happy to do the overtime when its available as the extra cash is always welcome. A BIG well done to the powers that be .............

[silly suffolk]

I know some refs who will have to give up football because of the caring Family Friendly Royal Mail. I used to ref School Boy Football on A Saturday Morning Kicking off at 1030AM teams like Cambridge Utd, Peterbrough Utd etc then in came later Saturdays and that was the end of that, when the new duties come in it will be a push to get to see my local side, Norwich and ipswich fans won't be able to get to use there season tickets (any refund please Royal Mail)

Getting back to the young lad giving up his Football at 26 it's hard to know what to do Family or sport. Good luck to him whatever he does but i hope he tries to find another job so he can get out of this mess and carry on with his football

won,t be able to see the town next year. thank god

[clashcityrocker]

I would give up the job instead of football, the club could find him something to do with them or their sponsors.

That's easy to say when you play for Aston Villa.