Manchester Evening News sports writer Paul Hince always wanted to be a journalist, and after leaving school got his got his foot in the door at a local newspaper - only for his career to be interrupted by a spell as a professional footballer.
In the second part of our series looking at sportsmen who became regional press journalists, he tells how he was 'conned' into joining Manchester City...

Although a fanatical Manchester City fan, Paul Hince had never had any ambitions to become a footballer, and instead wanted to make his mark in the world of journalism.

As a boy he had also enjoyed watching football and often used to walk to Maine Road on match days - where, not being from an affluent area, he would wait until three-quarter time at about 4.20pm when they would open the gates to let spectators out - and Paul would go in to watch the last few minutes of the match.

After leaving grammar school he joined the Aston Reporter Group as a cub reporter, and left soccer to his spare time when he would often play match after match caked in mud without a bath.

But a scout had spotted Paul's potential and asked him to take part in a trial, and after failing to tempt Paul with that offer asked him if he could 'help out' Manchester City by playing in an A-team match.

Paul said: "He told me they only had eight players, and I felt I couldn't let them down."

But the match was against Manchester United and he soon realised it had just been a ruse to get him to play - and the plan had worked.

Paul was given a six match trial playing in the reserve side in the days of the central league - an enormous leap from playing football in the park watched by three men and a dog.

He said: "It was a real eye opener. I played three or four games for City and had achieved what I wanted. I wanted to finish my apprenticeship."

But manager Joe Mercer called him and after convincing Paul that he owed it to himself to give it a go, he became a reluctant professional footballer.

Paul said: "I thought I played well. On my debut I scored two goals within 60 seconds and in between those I missed a much easier chance - I could have scored a hat-trick on my debut."

But despite such a great performance, he was dropped from the team for the next match and didn't play for the rest of the season.

Paul said: "It was clear than my chance of first team football was limited and so I moved to Charlton in the old second division - which was a disaster."

Paul then went on to play for Bury, who were then in the old third division, and Crewe, in the old fourth.

He said: "I realised my career was going the wrong way and it was time to get out, so at 27 I finished my professional football career."

Returning to journalism, he became a freelance writer working in Manchester where he found his footballing background proved useful, helping him to land stories he may not otherwise have got.

He said: "There is a great camaraderie in football, with a sort of 'us against the world' attitude."

In 1971 he joined the Manchester Evening News as a staff writer, and more than 30 years later he is still there, as the paper's chief sports writer.

Paul said: "In football, there is a thin line between a good player and an average bread and butter player. I could have got along - but then what?

"Joe Mercer was right. If I had never tried it I'd have grown up bitter and thinking 'if only I'd had the bottle'. I gave it my best shot - I wasn't a top line player but it taught me a lot and helped me make a lot of contacts and form friendships.

"Journalism is a damn sight easier - I've never had a bad game in the press box - and in my match reports I try not to criticise as I know how hard it is.

"The lifestyle of a professional footballer is terrific - the hours are great, the money is great, but the matches ruined it - if it wasn't for them I could have played on until I was 50!"

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