A FORMER goalkeeper who served Blackburn Rovers for more than 16 years is recovering from a triple heart by-pass.

Clitheroe-born Jim Furnell (pictured), 63, is already up and about at Blackpool Victoria Hospital only four days after his operation on Saturday.

And he is planning to be back showing the youngsters how it's done with his work inspecting the Premier League's youth academies within two months.

He said: "I had a couple of rough days after the operation but now I'm feeling smashing."

Jim began having problems with his heart four years ago, while he was still working as the youth team development officer at Rovers.

He suffered an angina attack while playing golf in February and was given an angiogram in November. It showed one of his heart's four arteries was completely blocked by cholesterol and two others were almost totally blocked.

He said: "It was a shock. Being a sportsman and keeping fit meant my heart was in good condition, otherwise I could have had a heart attack."

The Professional Footballers Association offered to pay for part of the treatment so Jim could have the surgery done privately at once.

The three and a half hour operation involved taking veins from Jim's leg and using them to replace the blocked arteries.

His wife Pam and son Stephen have been keeping him company at the hospital since the operation but Jim will soon be back at his home at Woodcrest, Blackburn.

But the treatment isn't over yet -- Jim will also need a hip replacement within a year as a result of all the diving he did during his long career.

He started out as an apprentice at Burnley FC and moved to Liverpool under legendary manager Bill Shankley in 1962.

His career there as the first team goalkeeper was cut short by an injury and he moved to Arsenal then Rotherham and Plymouth before joining the Ewood Park coaching staff in 1981 with Bobby Saxton.

He was reserve team boss then joined the youth set-up and helped bring through top players.