Ex-Chasetown star goes into boxing

Cannock's Dave Egan will swap passes for punches after hanging up his boots as a Chasetown footballer to make his professional boxing debut.

Egan, who played 238 games and captained the Scholars over two spells in nine years, left the club at end of last season to pursue his fight dreams.

The non-league outfit have tried to persuade him to come back, particularly as they fell to the brink of Evo-Stik Northern Premier League relegation.

But the 29-year-old is not for turning and he will, instead, step into a pro ring for the first time at the New Bingley Hall in Birmingham on May 11.

The punching plumber has some ring experience with Walsall Wood ABC, where he won a Midlands title as an amateur at welterweight last year.

And Egan admits the buzz of standing toe-to-toe appeals to him more now than wrapping his toes around a football.

He said: "Chasetown have been having a tough season and a few of the lads have been on the phone to me asking if I will come back.

"But my mind is made up. I don't want to be 35-years-old wondering what might have been.

"I want to box while I still can and you never know, professional boxing may really suit me."

Egan was a part of the Chasetown side that made history in 2005, when they became the lowest-ranked club to reach the FA Cup first round.

But the midfielder missed out on both games against Oldham, after leaving and then returning to the Scholars Ground that season.

He said: "I left just before the cup run started, played in the FA Cup for Solihull, then came back to Chasetown.

"I must have played in every single league game that season after I came back to the club.

"But when we were playing in the FA Cup in front of the Match of the Day cameras, I was sitting in the stands.

"It was really tough to have to sit there and watch."

Tickets for the boxing bill in Birmingham are available from Egan on 07723 058 269.