Goalkeeper Brendan Ledgeway is hoping to rekindle his football dreams in the USA, as he tells DAVE FLETT.

HEWORTH goalkeeper Brendan Ledgeway is living his American dream after landing a scholarship in the States.

The former York and District League stopper has been offered a place at the University of Montevallo after catching the eye of US college coaches at Glasgow-based trials last year.

His selection represents a remarkable achievement for Ledgeway, who only started playing between the sticks regularly at the age of 16 and, until recently, was minding the net on local parks pitches for Rufforth.

Encouraged by former York City goalkeeping coach Pete Glanville, the Royal York Hotel fitness instructor decided to write to the Minstermen and other leading non-League teams in the region asking for a trial three years ago.

He was eventually invited to train with Whitby and, having been offered a deal by the Seasiders, was loaned out to Marske United, where he has been playing in the Northern League.

Now, at the age of 22, Ledgeway is hoping his scholarship can lead to greater opportunities in the game either side of the Atlantic.

Former York City defender Jon Maloney starred for Montevallo before being offered a contract with Blue Square North outfit Harrogate Town on his return and, ahead of his flight to Alabama, Ledgeway said: “The university made me a really good offer that I couldn’t turn down.

“It’s a great opportunity for me having started out at Rufforth and worked my way into non-League football and is the best step I can make while getting an education at the same time. The way their system works over there, they expect all their professional athletes to go through college.

“There are no academies so, hopefully, I can get a club over there when I have finished my studies but, if not, I still have aspirations of playing at a decent level here. I feel I can play at a higher level but, being a late starter, it’s more difficult in England because I haven’t been at an academy. This way, though, I will have an education to fall back on whatever.”

Ledgeway, who previously spent a year at Sheffield Hallam University, is planning to study for a business and marketing degree at Montevallo. Had fate taken a different twist when he was a schoolboy, however, this opportunity may never have arisen.

“I always played in the centre of midfield or centre-half when I was with Rufforth juniors,” he said. “I attended a football camp at York University when I was 15 or 16 though and Pete (Glanville) was holding a goalkeeper’s workshop so I tried my luck.

“He told me I ought to stick with goalkeeping as he thought I had something. Then, one game, our ’keeper didn’t turn up so I went in goal. We won 8-0 and I hardly touched the ball, but I really enjoyed it. I kept pestering the manager to play there afterwards, but he wanted me to play outfield and it was only when the goalkeeper did not turn up for the following season that I got my chance.”

Ledgeway is also quick to recognise the mentor role Glanville has played in his development, saying: “His enthusiasm and attitude is great.

“He coaches people just for the love of the game. He works with a group of us on a Thursday night at Selby when he doesn’t need to and, if it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have taken up goalkeeping at all. He was the first to encourage me and he’s always there on the end of a phone now.”