Damian shows his class at old school

THE blond youngster already knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.

But they all laughed when, as a transition year student, he wrote "professional footballer" as his career choice.

Yesterday, they welcomed back Damian Duff to De La Salle College, Churchtown - Ireland's World Cup hero and one of the most sought-after stars of English football.

"He's a lovely lad, very shy," said Tim Sheehan, principal teacher at the south Dublin school after meeting the Blackburn Rovers midfield magician.

"Damian was a bit nervous about meeting his former teachers."

Ability at school wasn't a problem for young Duff, either in the classroom or on the playing pitch. Maths teacher Dermot Kealy, who managed Shelbourne to two, considered the lad "very bright."

Damian might have become one of Ireland's greatest rugby players. During his first and second years in Churchtown a noted rugby school coaches admired his jinxing runs and electric pace at centre and wing.

But destiny beckoned and the lad crossed to England to fulfil his boyhood dream, leaving De La Salle as a fourth-year.

Said Mr Sheehan: "What it tells us and one of the reasons we wanted him back is that you can realise your ambitions; that boys can dream and that their dreams can be fulfilled."

To mark the school's 50th birthday, they presented Damian with a Waterford Crystal vase and the famous wine and gold school tie.

Cheered by 250 students in the assembly hall, the winger presented four Addidas kits to first-year students David Corbett, John Higgins, Philip Fallon and Warren Farrell.

Proving his skills aren't confined to the playing pitch, Damian displayed some neat verbals when dodging questions about rumours that he may be trading the sward at Ewood Park for either Liverpool or Manchester United.

He enthralled Leaving and Third-year students, excused from attending college to allow study for imminent exams, who were only delighted to nip back to catch a glimpse of the left-footed goal poacher.

And the house exams? The school authorities decided these should be re-scheduled to ensure nobody would miss out when Damian Duff returned to his alma mater.