My dream job – Alex

ALEX MARROW - admits he is forunate to be doing something he enjoys so much.

ATHLETIC loan signing Alex Marrow appreciates the lifestyle of a professional footballer more than most.

The 19-year-old knows what it is like to graft for a living after taking an unconventional route into the game.

When Marrow left school there was no professional club waiting to snap up a player admired for his versatility.

Instead, Marrow began his working life as an apprentice plasterer before being spotted by Premier League club Blackburn Rovers while playing for Ashton Athletic in the Vodkat North-West Counties League.

Marrow, who made his debut in league football for Athletic against Stockport County on the opening day of the season, said: “After working as a plasterer for several months it makes me appreciate what I have now.

“Being a professional footballer is the best job in the world and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

“You wake up every day and look forward to going to work to play football for which you get paid.

“There are great facilities and everything is there to improve you as a footballer. You cannot ask for any more. There is also the banter with the lads.

“I was more a labourer than a plasterer and, while it was hard work, I enjoyed the short time I spent doing that job.”

Marrow had been at Bolton Wanderers between the ages of seven and 14 after which he played local junior football before joining semi-professional club Ashton.

He added: “When I left Bolton I fell out of love with football for a time, but I always wanted to be a professional.”

When Blackburn offered Marrow a chance in February, 2008, he jumped at the opportunity to go to Ewood Park on trial.

He was offered a contract until the end of the season and that was followed by a 12-month deal as a first-year professional.

But such has been his progress that in January of this year Marrow was offered a new deal until June, 2011.

Marrow went to Austria with the Rovers first team for a pre-season training camp and then played in a friendly at Cambridge United where he lined up alongside the likes of Ryan Nelsen and El-Hadji Diouf.

He said: “It was great being involved with the first team and seeing how they did things.

“Things have gone well for me at Blackburn and I have enjoyed my time at the club.

“I played regularly for the reserves last season and wanted to go out on loan this time to try to play some league football, which is the next step.”

Marrow is happy with life at Boundary Park and says he would stay if Athletic wished to extend his loan.

“I just want to play as many games as I can and hopefully get some wins for Latics,” he said.

Marrow arrived at Black-burn as a central midfield player, but was switched to right-back and the centre of defence last season because of injuries to other players.

“I did all right and it is good that I can play in a number of positions, though I prefer central midfield,” he said.