'I made my Man Utd debut against Arsenal but now I work as a travel agent'

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Manchester United's 3-2 victory over Arsenal in 2016 will forever be etched in history as Marcus Rashford's debut - though it also marked the first appearance of another homegrown talent. While it was the England star - currently on loan at Barcelona until the end of the season - who announced himself on the global stage with two goals in three minutes, the Old Trafford showdown also saw James Weir make his bow.

The now-30-year-old came on as a late substitute for Ander Herrera , which ultimately proved to be his sole outing for the Premier League giants. Moving swiftly to Hull City just six months later, he managed only seven appearances for the Tigers before brief spells at Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers.

Weir's career subsequently took him to the likes of Slovakia, where he turned out for Pohronie and ViOn Zlate Moravce, and Hungary, where he represented MTK Budapest, before hanging up his boots in 2024 following a difficult battle with injuries .

The Preston-born midfielder reflected on the next chapter of his life and, after speaking with a friend of his sister, he was introduced to the prospect of launching his own travel agency with the backing of firm Travel Counsellors.

The concept instantly attracted Weir, who confessed that the travel opportunities and flexibility of the prospective new vocation was precisely what he was seeking in his life after football.

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Speaking to Manchester Evening News last year, he said: "It was around the time I had just come back from Slovakia, it was New Year's Eve, and I was speaking to one of my sister's friends who worked for this company in the head office.

"She was telling me about it, explaining that I could run my own business and that it was essentially a franchise, but you work as much as you want. I have always really liked travelling and I have been lucky enough to go to places in Europe and all around the world when I was younger with Man United.

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"I went to Brazil and Singapore. I have always been one for going to different destinations which might not be on everybody's to-do list. I do enjoy that side of it and I like the idea of the freedom to run your own business.

"In football, you are constantly told what to do, when to do it, which is part of the game, but I like the idea of being a bit more flexible. I am really enjoying it. It is hard and it is a gradual thing, where you're building your business and your clients. But I am really enjoying it and I think I made the right decision."

Charged with crafting luxurious holiday packages, Weir shed light on his everyday routine as a travel agent, explaining: "You can do literally everything. You can, for example, do Majorca for a week.

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"But we are designed for the bespoke special trips where you are going from this destination to that and having a special experience which you might not have heard about. But we get constant emails and training on these sorts of things.

"They are more bespoke and personalised to whoever it is. They are not just off-the-shelf packages. We have a conversation, listen to what the person wants and try and create something special. It is more tailored."

A stark contrast to the hectic world of professional football, Weir operates from home and has carved out a successful career for himself. He's undoubtedly an inspiration for players uncertain about their future once they hang up their boots.

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