Gareth McAuley determined to remain a permanent fixture in the West Brom team

Nov 13 2011 by Gregg Evans, Sunday Mercury

GARETH McAuley is drawing up a plan to conquer the Premier League – ten years after quitting his job as a draftsman.

The Albion defender has cemented his place in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI, fulfilling a life-long ambition to play in the English top flight in the process.

It’s been a long road trying to compete with the best after McAuley sacked off his job as a technical drawer, aged 21, to focus on his blossoming career as a footballer.

But the brave move has paid off for the Northern Ireland international who is now lining up against the cream of the crop week in week out.

“It was always my aim to be a footballer and I’ve not finished progressing yet,” he said.

“If I can establish myself for another couple of years here then I will be proud of it. It was always going to be tough coming into the professional game late but I’m enjoying the challenge.

“I went to University (of Ulster in Jordanstown) for a bit and I went on work experience and I ended staying on and working for the company doing technical drawing on the computer.

“I finished school and did my A-Levels, but I wanted the work, I really enjoyed the drawing as well as the football.

“I used to do two or three nights training but that was tough when you’re working all day, it’s a long day. I still speak to some of the lads that are still doing that.

“It just got to the stage where I decided to give up the job because football was my goal. I was playing for Crusaders and then Coleraine in a semi-pro league and doing quite well.