Bolton Wanderers defender Andy O'Brien has revealed how close he came to not becoming a pro footballer.

O'Brien, who has enjoyed a new lease of life since that £1.25 million August move, only just made the professional grade, having been a borderline case as a schoolboy on Bradford City's books.

"I remember six or seven of us sitting down with our parents as we were about to leave school," he recalled of that fateful day at Valley Parade.

"They went through every individual. I'd been injured, I'd broken my collarbone, but they said I'd just scraped through and they were going to offer me an apprenticeship.

"It's a good job because I was no good at school. But the decision was made for me and Chris Kamara (former Bradford manager) gave me an opportunity for which I'll always be grateful."