hiː bɪɡˈæn tɹˈeɪnɪŋ wɪð kˈɑːɹdɪf sˈɪɾi ænd wʌz ˈɔːlsoʊ lˈɪŋkt wɪð ɐ mˈuːv tə kˈeɪmbɹɪdʒ juːnˈaɪɾᵻd, bˌʌt ˌɔn ˈeɪt dʒuːlˈaɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən hiː sˈaɪnd ɐ θɹˈiːmˈʌnθ kˈɑːntɹækt wɪð tˈoːɹkiː juːnˈaɪɾᵻd.
He began training with Cardiff City and was also linked with a move to Cambridge United, but on 8 July 1997 he signed a three-month contract with Torquay United.