FOOTBALLER-turned-professional golfer Jamie Webster has turned his life around since being released by Burnley Football Club as a teenager.

Webster, who is the grandson of Harry Potts, the most successful manager in Clarets' history, has a year to go before he becomes a fully qualified PGA professional.

It is a massive turnaround for the 22-year-old who spent one year as a pro at Turf Moor before being told he was surplus to requirements.

He moved to League of Wales side Rhyl, then on to Northwich Victoria and now plays semi-professionally for North West Counties First Division champions Rossendale United.

"I supported Burnley all my life and all I wanted to do was play football for them," said the central midfielder, who now works in the professional's shop at Clitheroe.

"I was a regular in the reserves the season before I left but I never broke through to the first team.

"It was hard to take. I didn't really want to play for anybody else but I went for trials at Wrexham and in Ireland and I even got offered a contract in Ireland but I didn't want to move away.

"I came back and got back into the golf and decided to play football semi-professionally."

Webster is now 12 months away from becoming a fully qualified PGA professional.

"I have got my second year exams at the end of September and next year I will be fully qualified," he said. "Then I can teach abroad or get my own shop." For now, though, he plays golf in the Assistant's League and football in the UniBond.

"Playing non-League football is a bit different to Burnley Reserves but I enjoy it. It is a good laugh with the lads there.

"I'm looking forward to playing in the UniBond League but I am not sure what I will be doing because of the golf. I might not be available until October because I'll be teaching and I'll be busy in the shop here."

Although still a professional sportsman, Webster misses the lifestyle professional football can provide.

"The hours are different, you have to work more unsociable hours with golf because you have to make yourself available to teach people at evenings and weekends.

"With football you just turn up for training for two hours every morning and then you have the rest of the day to yourself. It's a great lifestyle."

Webster was a keen footballer as a child and it was Grandad Potts who first took him out onto the golf course.

"When I was young he had left Burnley and was scouting for Liverpool. We used to go to games together. This was about 15 years ago and it was then he got me into golf. It was just a hobby to him, though.

"Soon after that he got Alzheimer's and never saw me play for Burnley which was a shame."

Potts's life will soon be documented in a book written by the club historian, Ray Simpson.

"It has all come about because they have re-named Brunshaw Lane Harry Potts Way in memory of him," said Webster. "My grandma is helping Ray write the book."