A FORMER Ermysted's Grammar School pupil has been recognised as one of the top amateur football managers in the USA.

Skipton-born Des Smith won the prestigious adult manager/coach of the year award for the south-east region, which includes 14 states ranging from Texas to Florida to Virginia.

The accolade comes in the same year in which he also won the title of top manager in North Carolina.

Having founded the Rhinos Soccer Club in 2002, Smith has led them to several regional tournament victories and seen them achieve the best overall record in the local Triangle Adult Soccer League in Raleigh, North Carolina, which has included two league titles.

Ironically, it was only when Smith moved to the USA - a country not traditionally known for its love of football - that he began to become heavily involved in the sport.

He had been a pupil at Skipton-based Ermysted's Grammar School from 1980 to 1987 where there were only limited opportunities to play football.

When he left England to work in North Carolina in 1994 for the automotive engineering company, GKN, he began to play on a regular basis.

He said: "I built up a network of good players and coaches here, and wanted to form my own team to compete and achieve success at the highest level in men's amateur soccer in this area."