Sealy living the dream as a pro

Six months ago, he was playing for an amateur side. Now fullback Jonathan 'Jack' Sealy is a professional with a chance to play for the Hong Kong team later this month.

The son of former Hong Kong footballer Tony Sealy has been called up by acting head coach Liu Chun-fai as the national side prepare for the Interport Cup against Guangdong.

The 24-year-old, who took part in his first training session with the Hong Kong squad at Tsing Yi North East Park yesterday, said he was still pinching himself to make sure his meteoric rise is not just a dream.

'It's just like a fairy tale,' said Sealy, who six months ago joined Sunray Cave Sun Hei, the First Division league leaders. 'I was still playing for Football Club six months ago as an amateur, a club that I have played for since the age of five, and although they were relegated to the Second Division in the summer, I got the opportunity to play for Sun Hei. And now I also have the chance of playing for the national team.'

Born in England before moving with his father to Hong Kong in 1992, Sealy said he now considered the city as his permanent home. 'My friends are here, my family is here and I want to stay here as long as possible. And now I'll even have the great honour of representing Hong Kong,' he said.

His father Tony was a striker back home. The Londoner appeared as a substitute in the 1979 League Cup final for Southampton, only the second black player to play for the team after Alf Charles in 1937.

His best spell came in Queen Park Rangers' promotion season of 1982-83, when he was top scorer for a club that featured the likes of Clive Allen and Simon Stainrod. In 1992, Tony moved to Hong Kong to play for Michelotti and then champions Eastern before settling in with Football Club, where he is now their operations manager and soccer coach.