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SATURDAY BLUEBIRDS: Four football-packed pages WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ...Jon Hallworth

ParkNinian Park diary with TERRY PHILLIPS

A walk in the

Park

Christmas cheer at City

Mickey-takers win by alength at City race night

Darren will soon haveBluebirds boxing clever

Former goalienow puttingfaith in bricksand mortar

Ex-keeper builds up property empireJON Hallworth has gone frombeing between the sticks tohelping people up sticks.

The former Bluebirds stopperhas his own property empire,renting out nine houses in theGreater Manchester area.

It is all part of his new careerpath that has seen him turn hisback on football after a 20-yearspell in the game.

“I did a little bit of goalkeepingcoaching to help out my oldfriend Andy Ritchie at OldhamAthletic a few years ago,” hesaid.

“But seeing how he wastreated there and at Barnsleyrecently just shows me that I’vemade the right decision in stay-ing away from the game.

“It’s very competitive andgoalkeeping jobs are hard tocome by.

“I have no regrets at not stay-ing involved in football what-soever and never had any am-bition to do so.”

Hallworth, in fact, was plan-ning for his future long beforehis three-and-a-half-year spell atNinian Park ended.

Brought to the club by RussellOsman in 1997, Hallworth was

dogged with long-standing kneeinjuries.

He finally accepted medicaladvice to end his playing careerwhen he was 35.

The Stockport-born goalkeep-er, who played 123 times forCity, said: “I’d had a great pro-fessional career and it was justmy time to go.

“I’d had trouble with myknees for some time and duringmy last season with Cardiff Iplayed every game.

“That was despite suffering apunctured lung and my con-stant knee trouble.

“I was told by the surgeoncountless times that I shouldgive up but I carried on.

“But once I could hardly walk,let alone kick or run – then I knewI had to say enough was enough.

It still affects me as I cannot playgolf or do other active sportswhich is frustrating.

“I’m actually still waiting for anew knee, which I will have towait another five years for asI’m too young.”

Now 41, Hallworth is back upliving in the north-west of Eng-land with his wife Dianne andtwo young children, Ella andKatie.

That’s where he spent themajority of his professional ca-reer, despite beginning and end-ing his career down south atIpswich and Cardiff respect-i v e l y.

“I was an apprentice atIpswich, but the move to Old-ham was a great one for mepersonally,” he said.

“I played in two FA Cupsemi-finals plus a League Cupfinal.

“I was playing against the likesof Manchester United and Ar-senal week in, week out in thetop division.”

Relegation and a change ofpersonnel, though, saw Hall-worth leave for pastures new –and Ninian Park was his nextand final stop.

“I had a few offers, but I knewRussell well from my time atIpswich and he was in charge at

Cardiff,” he said. “He persuadedme to come down and it was agreat move for me.

“I needed a change in sceneryand Cardiff was the ambitiousclub I was seeking.

“I got a house in Newport andstayed for as long as my kneeslet me.”

Hallworth’s spell was punc-tured with many highs and lowsduring a turbulent spell at theclub.

He played under five man-

agers – Osman, Frank Burrows,Billy Ayre, Bobby Gould andAlan Cork – and played a keyrole in the 1998/99 promotionfrom Division Three.

His reflexes and stunning abil-ity to stop shots also made himthe best goalkeeper that sea-son, which was reflected withhis selection for the PFA ThirdDivision team and being votedCardiff City player of the year.

“I cherished both awards, andstill do,” he said.

“I had never been player ofthe year at any club and thatwas special.

“The fans voted for the awardand I was proud to win thea w a rd .

“It was also a fantastic honourto be in the Third Division teamas that had never happenedb e f o re . ”

Hallworth’s exit coincidedwith Sam Hammam’s arrival atCardiff, and he added: “I wentback to Wales for Jeff Eckhardt’s

40th birthday party last yearand still stay in touch with vari-ous players.

“I speak to Tony Philliskirkand see a lot of Anthony Carss,who goes to the same gym asme.

“I keep saying to my wife thatI will come down and watchthem play again.

“I intend to – but maybe it willbe with them in the Premiershipnext season.”

d a r re n . w i t c o o p @ w m e . c o . u k

D a r re nWitcoop

THE entire Cardiff City squadhave been told by managerDave Jones: “On yer bikes!”

Barry cycling shop A1Roaduser has providedmountain bikes for theBluebirds players – and theywill be used to break uptraining routines.

They are still sparkling newand untouched after beingdelivered this week, but it iscertain they will be covered inmud pretty soon.

First-team coach TerryBurton also ordered someboxing training to improveupper body strength.

The players have only hadone session with “boxing forfitness” trainer Darren Wilson

at Llanharan Amateur BoxingClub so far, but more sessionsare planned in the new year.

Darren’s website is onw w w. b o x i n g f o r l i f e . c o . u k

RED Mist, ridden by StevieMac, won race seven at theCardiff City Football Academyrace night.

It was clearly a dig atStephen McPhail, sent off forcatching Lee Hendrie in theface at Stoke City and nowserving a three-match ban.

“It was a bit of fun and Stevewas great and laughed aboutit, especially when Red Mistwon,” said Ninian Park staffmember Nick Alford, who paidto be the “owner” and namehorse and jockey.

Red Mist won the Paul

Compton Scouting Fund10,000 guineas race.

There was a good turn-outfor the race night, held toraise funds for a futureAcademy tour, including Citymanager Dave Jones plusfirst-team players SteveThompson and Willo Flood.

Also present was formerBluebirds midfield playerJason Fowler, now coachingwithin the club’s Academy.Among other horses runningwere Sir Chopra, TheTomohawk and AlexanderPalace.

SKIPPER Darren Purse andhis Cardiff City team-mateswill meet Father Christmastomor row.

The entire squad willattend the club’s children’sChristmas party at NinianPark.

They are due to take partin kids games with youngsuppor ters.

Robert Earnshaw was thebest I’ve seen over recentyears, joining inenthusiastically with a gameof musical chairs and beingedged out for pace and bodystrength by a six-year-oldlad!

The party will be a changeof gear for the Bluebirdssquad, who flew off aftertheir goalless draw againstColchester for their ownChristmas social. It was heldat a country club in theManchester area – aone-night special with allplayers back home the next

evening and in for trainingon Monday.

“It was excellent,” saysPurse. “Everybody was ongood form. It came at areally good time actually; wehad a few drinks, relaxedand put the world to rights!Hopefully that will stand usin good stead for facingIpswich today.

“December is going to be ahectic month and it willmake or break our season.So we need to boostconfidence with a winagainst Ipswich.”

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Nick keen to show he’s the real McKoyTHE fortunes of close palsMalvin Kamara and NickMcKoy have gone indifferent directions.

While the lively Kamara,22, has forced his way intofirst-team reckoning – andwas due to start againstIpswich Town today –McKoy, 20, is out of favour.

Even with StephenMcPhail suspended forthree games and Citystretched to the limit byinjuries, McKoy does notseem to figure.

Both Kamara and McKoyjoined Cardiff from MiltonKeynes Dons during the

summer and went on thepre-season tour to NorthAmerica.

“Things have been goingpretty well,” said Kamara,“I’ve been going on assubstitute after around 80minutes and then, againstStoke City, I went on after65 minutes.

“It was great to startagainst Colchester and I’mhopeful of doing the sameagainst Ipswich Townt o d a y. ”

McKoy, meanwhile, hasbeen unable to force hisway out of the reserves.

City are short in central

midfield, but preferred toswitch Joe Ledley from theleft to partner RiccyScimeca.

McKoy and Kamaraarrived in South Walessaying their aim was first-team football as quickly aspossible. They each haveone-year contracts, butMcKoy has not had muchchance to show what he cando in matches.

McKoy is from EastLondon and played for WestHam’s junior club, WestHamians, before signing forWimbledon at the age of 13.

“I didn’t want to move

when Wimbledon switchedto Milton Keynes and Iwanted to get away,” saysMcKoy, who made hisLeague debut againstWalsall two years ago whenhe was still a first-yearscholarship trainee.

“It proved difficult to getaway from Milton Keynes,but I jumped at the chanceto sign for Cardiff.”

McKoy made 10 first-teamstarts for MK Dons plusanother 16 appearances assubstitute.

Kamara started hisfootball trainee days withWest Ham before making

the move to Wimbledon.“I felt Wimbledon would

offer more first-teamopportunities, but, lookingback, it probably wasn’t theright decision,” saysKamara.

“I was in the same WestHam youth team as GlennJohnson, who went on tosign for Chelsea.

“Both of us were left outof the youth team at WestHam because there were somany young players there.Glenn stayed, I decided toleave.

“Now I have anotherchance with Cardiff.”

Gunter surprise call could seeMcNaughton pushing forwardDAVE Jones was todayset to spring a majorsurprise on teamselection.

Teenage right-backChris Gunter has beendrafted into the teameven though bothKevin McNaughton andAlan Wright are fit.

That can only meanMcNaughton will pushforward into midfieldwhere he has playedfor both Scotland andA b e rd e e n .

He has figured atfull-back on both sides

this season and nowlooks certain to add hispace and tenacity downthe flank.

With Paul Parry(thigh injury), WilloFlood (thigh injury) andStephen McPhail(suspended) all ruledout, it was expectedthat Kevin Cooper andMalvin Kamara wouldbe the two wide men.

Now it seems Coopercould be left out, withKamara andMcNaughton holdingthe wide roles.

That would be amajor blow for theexperienced Cooper,who also played formanager Jones atStockport County andWo l v e s .

Cooper, now fully fitafter a knee operationat the start of theseason, could certainlyadd extra quality todeliveries into the box.

The problem for theBluebirds now isgetting theirfree-flowing footballgoing again.

McNaughton, though,will give his roleeverything and getforward as often aspossible.

Yesterday, Cardiff Citytrained at Vale of

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