A CLARETS goalkeeping coach is aiming to pass on the tricks of the trade he picked up from shot-stopping legends including Bruce Grobbelaar and Joe Corrigan.

Martin Wilkinson, 38, was on the books for Liverpool and Manchester City before his role guiding the next generation of keepers at Turf Moor.

He is now launching his own goalkeeping school, with help from son Mikey, 11, and eight-year-old Max Aged just 14, Martin spent time at Manchester City’s centre of excellence – Corrigan’s old stomping ground – before working alongside Anfield aces Grobbelaar and David James during a four-year spell at Liverpool in the reserves.

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He went on to play for Bradford City’s first team before hanging up his boots at 25 to concentrate on coaching.

He said: “Goalkeepers have a lonely job, one slight mistake and it’s a goal so it is all about encouragement to make sure you get the best from them.

“It was clear there was a real gap in grassroots football for specific goalkeeping coaching and I wanted to help develop and improve the standard of goalkeepers in the area. It has been a bit of a slow transition into coaching but it was not that hard as I have always been involved in football.

“I just want to promote goalkeeping positively and help players technically, tactically, physically and psychologically – it is more than just a position on the pitch.”

Martin runs coaching sessions near his home in Warrington, alongside his Burnley FC duties with sides from the under-eights up to under-18s, and has around 100 keepers on his books.

He added: “The modern goalkeepers like Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois are now becoming a lot more popular, which makes people want to be like them.

“In the past it has been just about the players who are scoring the goals but it has moved away from that and goalkeepers are now getting the recognition they should.”

For further information visit www.mwgoalkeeping.co.uk.