GRANT Doyle's fledgling career as an airline pilot failed to get off the ground when his Northenden boss James Curtis jetted off to a new life in Florida.

The 26-year-old son of Manchester City legend Mike had planned to quit as an assistant at the Palatine Road club during the summer after gaining his commercial licence.

Instead, it was professional Curtis who resigned to work with some of the world's leading coaches and settle in Orlando with wife Lucy and their three sons.

And Doyle has landed his job. 

"It was all a bit of sudden and something of a surprise," he said.

"But Jamie thought this was their best chance to move over there because they've always loved the place."

Curtis, a former double Cheshire County boy champion, said: "I'm here to progress with my teaching skills but I won't know where I'll be based until I get my work permit in February.

"We always enjoyed holidaying in Florida and took the opportunity to live here when it came up."

Doyle, who sold the house he shared with his partner Sarah and car to pay for flying lessons before passing his commercial exams in July, is not completely grounded.

For he's mixing golf tuition at Northenden with flying lessons at Barton Airport!

"My promotion to club pro was unexpected but I grabbed the chance after working there as an assistant for nine years," said Doyle, who learned to play the game at Ashton-under-Lyne.

He developed a passion for flying as a boy when his parents regularly took him to their holiday home in Lanzarote.

He added: "In another five or 10 years if I decide I want a career change I will always have my licence to fall back on but for now I've got the best of both worlds." Tweet