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Football: Manchester United swoop for young Pontblyddyn goalkeeper George Deniz

A YOUNG goalkeeper whose side have finished bottom of the Clwyd Junior League for two years in a row has been snapped up by Manchester United.

Mold Alun School pupil George Deniz, 14, has signed a two-year schoolboy contract with the Premier League outfit after being spotted at the North Wales Regional Squad trials.

George has been a goalkeeper for Buckley Colts for two years and the side have struggled in the league, finishing bottom two years in a row.

But George’s potential was spotted by coach Lee Starkey, who took him to the Airbus Academy which he also runs.

There the Pontblyddyn youngster, who is already 5ft 10ins tall, was coached by the Wingmakers’ keeper Chris Doran and encouraged to try out for North Wales.

That is where an eagle-eyed scout for United first spotted him and set the ball rolling.

“It all happened so fast,” said mum Caroline. “We were invited for a tour of Carrington and the state-of-the-art facilities and there were pictures of all the former United greats like George Best on the walls.

“As we walked George was asked how long he had been a United fan, to which he replied ‘I’m not, I support Aston Villa!’”

It didn’t put off the Red Devils, however, and he was played in two trial games, against Manchester City and Stoke City.

The trial was supposed to last six weeks but after playing just two games, United liked what they saw and offered George schoolboy terms.

“It is simply incredible,” said Caroline. “It just goes to prove that it is not always about the results. A lot of the players who originally played with George left for other clubs because they were fed up of losing.

“But George stuck with the coaching and thanks to his work and the efforts of Lee and Chris, regardless of results, he has managed to catch the attention of a big club’s academy.”

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