FORMER Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Matt Glennon is swapping his cap and gloves for a comb and scissors!
The 33-year-old stopper – now playing with FC Halifax Town in the Blue Square North – is opening his own hairdressing business in Emley.
Based in Shelley, Glennon qualified as a hairdresser three years ago at the Cobra Academy in Nottingham and will open his first salon – G27 – next Monday.
The name comes from G for Glennon and 27, the number he wore during four years with Town, and it matches the title of the goalkeeping academy which he runs on the 3G pitches at Silkstone Common.
“When you get to 30 you inevitably start to think about what you might do when you finish playing,” said Glennon, the only Town keeper ever to save three penalties in the same match.
“I looked into all sorts of business opportunities while doing coaching badges, and thought of computer courses and things like that. Then the guy who used to cut my hair mentioned about the academy in Nottingham and said: “Why don’t you have a go at becoming a barber?”
“I’ve always been a chirpy sort of bloke so the social side of it suits me, and I really enjoyed doing the course, getting trained up and earning the qualification.
“I always wanted to set up my own business when I finished with full-time football and this is it – G27 in Emley.”
Glennon will work in the newly-refurbished shop on Wednesdays, doing men’s hair only. Laura MacLeod, who had the premises before, is working the other days doing styling for both men and women.
“I don’t know of any other footballers who have become qualified hairdressers, so maybe this is a first,” added Glennon, who has been working many hours over the past month to make sure the business is ready for its grand opening.
“We’ve been doing everything, completely renewing everything, and I’ve got a framed shirt up on the wall just as a little bit of memorabilia.
“I played in a testimonial up at Carlisle last week and when people asked what I was doing, I got quite a few comments and jokes about becoming a hairdresser, but I’m really looking forward to it.
“We’ll have Talksport on the radio every Wednesday and I’ll leave the rest to Laura!”
