Cambridge United: Trialist pushes CEO Jez George's car after fuel error

Jez George managed Cambridge United between 2011 and 2012

Normally, football trialists hope to impress prospective new clubs on the pitch.

But one player recently went the extra mile - literally - to try to earn a contract with Cambridge United.

The trialist, whose name has not been revealed, was due to join the League Two side at their pre-season training camp in the Netherlands.

To give the player a helping hand, U's chief executive Jez George arranged to pick him up from Eindhoven Airport at 8:35 in the morning.

However, sleep deprived after driving through the night, and thinking he had "about eight or 10 hours to kill with this lad I don't know" because the rest of the squad weren't arriving until later, George made a mistake with predictable consequences.

"I put petrol in my diesel car," the 46-year-old said.

"After much hilarity in the petrol station afterwards, because I drove for about 1.5 miles chugging away, we got the breakdown services out and the guy managed to drain the tank.

"Our trialist learned how to push a car, then walked back and carried some diesel and we managed to get through it. The car's in good working order."

If the player fails to win a deal with Shaun Derry's side, maybe he could consider a career with a breakdown service.