by David Lovett
03/12/02
WREXHAM
are today singing the praises of their ‘Two Degrees’ - physios Mel Pejic and
Richie Rawlings.
Both are now charterted physiotherapists after gaining bachelor of science degrees from a four-year part-time course at Salford University. The course was funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association and involved working over 1,000 hours in hospitals and sports clinics. Pejic, 43, and Rawlings, 26, are both based at Wrexham’s Colliers Park training ground.
Pejic, who has been in professional football for over 25 years, revealed today his achievement would open doors in his career - possibly even outside football.
He said: “I took this course on basically to better myself. The way the game is going it was obvious you would need better qualifications if you want to get to a Premiership club and that involved becoming a chartered physiotherapist.
“I don’t think you should be content in staying in one place, although having said that I’ve been here 11 years! This is my seventh season as physio at Wrexham and during that time I feel we have made great strides in providing really good medical facilities for the players here.
“The days of physios being classed as ‘sponge-men’ have long gone. I’ve still got ambition and I must admit the thought has crossed my mind about coming out of football altogether and perhaps going to work in the NHS.
“But having said that I’ve been in this game all my working life, as a player and as a physio and obviously I have got a feeling for being involved in football. Being a chartered physiotherapist now, I hope, will open a few doors for me, whether it’s going to a bigger club or other things.”
Pej’s hands-on course took him out into hospitals which he enjoyed. “It was a great experience,” he said. “I spent some time with Bupa at Yale here in Wrexham and I also worked on neurological and respiratory wards at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.
“Actually being there working and helping patients who, for instance, had had strokes was invaluable. I’m now thinking about starting up a sports clinic here at Colliers Park in the new year.”