Ulsterman who went to Hull and back

Roy Carroll, the 19-year-old saviour of Nationwide Third Division club Hull City, has Premiership glory in his sights.

The sale of the young goalkeeper, who was born in Enniskillen 19 years ago, has enabled Hull to settle a pounds 250,000 debt with the Inland Revenue, who earlier this month brought a winding up order against the club.

It was Hull's third High Court appearance in a long-running battle with the Revenue and, although granting an adjournment, the judge gave them only a month to find the money.

Carroll, who was tracked by Premiership Sunderland earlier in the campaign, has gone to newly-promoted Wigan Athletic for pounds 350,000, but his four-year contract includes a clause that will allow him to break it if a Premiership club comes in for him.

"I am pleased with the move," said the former Northern Ireland under- 18 keeper. "I didn't want to go into the Premiership straight away and play in the reserves. I want first team football.

"I wouldn't want what has happened to Alan Fettis to happen to me."

Belfast-born Fettis wore Hull's goalkeeping jersey with distinction, but the cash-strapped club sold him for pounds 250,000 to Nottingham Forest in January 1996.

But Forest have given him just one first-team game. Carroll added: "Time is on my side and I've set myself a target to break into Premiership football by the time I'm 24. "It could even be with Wigan. They've no tradition of success, but they're very ambitious."

Carroll followed Fettis into the Northern Ireland squad after just 50 games for Hull.

He is the fourth Hull keeper to represent Northern Ireland in the 1990s, as present first international choice, Tommy Wright, played six games on loan at Boothferry Park in 1990-91. Aidan Davison had a spell there this season when Carroll was sidelined with shoulder trouble.

Carroll's inspirational performances for Hull won him the Player of the Year award last season when he made 23 League appearances. And many good judges suggest suggest he could develop into one of the best Northern Ireland keepers.

Slimly-built, he stands well over 6ft and his commanding penalty area presence belies a quiet nature off the field. Hull boss Terry Dolan was disappointed to get only pounds 350,000 for a keeper many observers rate in the pounds 1million class.

"I was staggered that we sold him for so little," said Dolan.

"He's already worth almost a million in my book.

"It's sad, too that the money has to be used to settle debts and we won't have any left for team strengthening."

Hull chairman Martin Fish tips Carroll to become one of the star goalkeepers of the next decade, but believes that these days you can't expect six figure fees for Third Division players.

Fish, however, has negotiated a 25 per cent cut if Wigan sell the highly- rated Ulsterman.

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