BOOT CAMP WITH A HUGE REWARD!

ASMIR Begovic won 63 caps fan Bosnia & Herzegovina, played a World Cup and spent a decad in the Premier League.

- By Chris Dunlavy

Rhys Lovett made a handful of appearances for Cheltenham Town in League Two and counts Tiverton Town, Shepton Mallet and Shortwood United amongst his former clubs.

Yet this time last year, the two goalkeepers found themselves on the exact same pitch after accepting an offer from the PFA to enrol in its free pre-season programme for out-of-contract footballers.

"It caught me completely off guard," recalls Lovett, now at Boston United. "I was sitting down in the changing room and I saw this guy walk past. I was thinking 'Surely that's not Begovic'. Anyway, we went out to train and I ended up doing the whole session with him. We got talking afterwards and he kind of said 'So what's happening with you then?".

"I told him I'd been released by Torquay and was going on trial at Wealdstone the next day. He said "Trial? Don't worry about a trial. The manager is Matty Taylor, he's a mate of mine and I'll put a word in for you'.

"He literally picked up his phone right there and then, which he didn't have to do. I couldn't believe it." Ultimately, the Bosnian's kind gesture wasn't required. Offered only a back-up role at We stone, Lovett opted to join Step 2 Welling and enjoyed arguar the most consistent season of his career to earn a move to the National League Pilgrims.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old says the chance encounter with Begovic, 37, illustrates the value of the PFA's annual camp.