James Lawrie

James Lawrie was born in Dundonald, County Down, on 18 December 1990, then crossed the border to discover himself through football in Cheshire. He turned a late goal against Chester City into a season award, provoked top-flight attention, and was still discarded before twenty-one. Altrincham gave him time enough to answer that judgement with forty goals and a promotion, while smaller clubs kept his momentum alive until Hanley Town. Dundonald supplied the boy; the northern counties supplied the shape he became.