CHRIS Lengthorn has swapped Manchester for Philadelphia after joining the squash revolution across the Atlantic.

The younger brother of Laura Massaro – the 2013 world squash champion – admitted it was an offer ‘too good to turn down’ after severing ties with England Squash.

Now he is hoping to help unearth the next generation of top-class squash players in America.

“Squash over here is one of the fastest growing sports in the country,” said Lengthorn, who hails from Chorley. “There has been a lot of investment in the sport in the last 10 years and they’re really starting to see the fruits of their labour.

“I would keep an eye on America in the next five years as I can really see it taking off.

“For example, their women’s junior team beat England’s women junior team in the world championships this year to reach the final.

“It’s a sign of the changing tide.”

Lengthorn, 29, who was head coach at the national centre in Manchester, is now one of the squash professionals at Fairmount Athletic Club in a sub area of Philadelphia called the King of Prussia.

“Our programme has around 175 juniors who train with us on a weekly basis,” added Lengthorn who helps run the junior squash academy called Scozzie. “We run four squads a day with over eight coaches all delivering individual coaching.

“Americans have jumped on the squash bandwagon because it’s a great way of getting their children into college and there is a very upper-class feel to the sport which they seem to like.

“It’s almost how squash was in the 80s in England over here at the moment.

“It’s growing very quickly and the industry is making a lot of money which can be seen in the amount of coaches who are coming here.”

Lengthorn decided to take up the new challenge after a chat with fellow coaches and a two week ‘trial’ at Fairmount.

“A few coaches had heard that I wasn’t working at England Squash any more and they got in contact,” he said. “That started putting thoughts in my head when they explained the professional set-up, how quick the sport was growing and the potential to earn more money.

“A friend, who is the head coach at Fairmount, then offered me the option of going over for two weeks and just seeing what I thought.

“They clearly did a very good job of buttering me up because when they offered me the package to move over there it was pretty difficult to say no.”

Lengthorn has no plans to return early and has been joined by girlfriend Scarlett Smith who has been covering squash and other sports for the Emilia Group and also played football for Chorley.

“My visa is for three years but if all goes well the next step would be to apply for my green card which is for 10 years,” he said.

“I’ll just have to see how it all unfolds.

“Scarlett has come over as well. She won’t be working as her visa won’t allow it but she hopes to do some volunteering around football coaching.

“She’s also going to try and play semi pro football.”

Lengthorn’s new base has already paid dividends for his big sister who trained at Fairmount prior to winning the US Open in Philadelphia last month.

“It was great to see Chris out there in Philadelphia,” said Massaro, who has returned to number two in the world rankings. “I had surprisingly lost in the first round of the Carol Weymuller Open in New York so I got to travel up to Philly early and spend more time with Chris and train with him at his club.”