Ex-City duo team up for tiling and plastering work

10:35am Friday 9th May 2008

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RELEASED York City players Ross Greenwood and Chas Wrigley are rebuilding their futures together by setting up a plastering and tiling business.

The York-based pair recently completed their first job with Greenwood failing to make the Minstermen's end-of-season retained list four months after Wrigley was allowed to leave KitKat Crescent.

Former Manchester United trainee Greenwood, 22, will combine his new career with playing part-time for Blue Square North outfit Gainsborough Trinity, where he spent the second half of last season on loan.

Wrigley - a first-year professional with City last season - has been playing for Rufforth in the Leeper Hare York League second division recently and has no plans to get back into full-time football.

Speaking about their new joint venture, Greenwood said: "It's something I've been thinking about ever since I left Stockport two years ago.

"I fancied doing a bit of tiling and, when Chas found out he wasn't getting a contract at York, I asked him if he wanted to go into business.

"We've both been on a course and already had our first job. I wanted to come out of full-time football and go part-time so I've signed for Gainsborough as well."

Greenwood admitted being disappointed at only making six starts in two seasons for his home-town club having played for Football League outfits Sheffield Wednesday and Stockport following his release from Old Trafford.

But he is keen to shrug off the misconception that being injury-prone had cost him his chance of making a greater impression, reasoning that his versatility proved a disadvantage.

He said: "A lot of people think I had a lot of bad injuries, but that's not true. I just got minor injuries at the wrong times, normally when I'd just got in the team.

"I felt it didn't really work out for me because I didn't have a set position. I'd be playing at right-back and the next minute at centre-half for the reserves, then I'd be doing a job at left-back before being switched to midfield.

"At the right club, being able to play in a few positions can be an advantage but it wasn't with the players we had over the last two seasons.

"I really wanted it to work at York. It was ideal for me but that's football. I had my chances and when I went in and had to perform I felt I did produce for the team.

"I lost my enjoyment for the game, though, because training every day without getting a sniff at the end of the week becomes a little soul-destroying."

Greenwood also admitted to being surprised that he became the only senior City professional overlooked for selection after Colin Walker became manager in mid-November.

The former Tadcaster Grammar pupil was Walker's captain as reserve coach but his last first-team appearance came in the 3-1 home defeat to Salisbury that resulted in Billy McEwan's sacking.

A loan move to Altrincham under Walker fell through before a recommendation from former City midfielder Lewis McMahon led to the Gainsborough switch and Greenwood added: "I was a bit disappointed not to get a chance under Colin, as I thought he rated me as a player.

"He knew I would always give 110 per cent and I would have liked to have played for him because he's a good guy who seems to have done a good job."