CALLUM COCKERILL-MOLLETT realised a footballer’s life is full of unexpected twists when he was released by Walsall as a 22-year-old.
That’s when he decided to turn part-time with Tamworth and move into a business that has even more ups and downs… selling ZIPS for a living!
Now, the football-playing businessman can’t wait to get his teeth into Tottenham Hotspur, when he faces Ange Postecoglou‘s Spurs in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The former Republic of Ireland Youth international told SunSport how he became the Lambs’ very own Lord of the Flies!
The left-back revealed: “In my final season at Walsall there was a massive turnover of players and everyone who was out of contract was allowed to leave.
“I had some interest from other full-time clubs but most of them would have involved relocating to the other side of the country.
“When nothing concrete actually materialised I decided to turn part-time.
“So that summer I went in with my dad, Neil and started working full-time in his zip business.
“I’d spent time around the factory while I was playing so I had a rough idea of what the business was about.
“Footballers retire early and I knew I wouldn’t go down the coaching route, so I always had the zip business in the back of my mind.
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“Now I help my dad run the company.
“We have around 30 staff and we are a wholesale manufacturer of zips.
“You can’t come in and buy one or two zips from us, we deal in hundreds or thousands at a time.
“We buy the raw materials from abroad and we create all kinds of zips.
“Jacket zips, pocket zips, shoe zips, zips for jeans – you name it, we can produce it.
“But our biggest sellers are probably sofa zips which are used in sofa cushions.
“We supply some of the biggest sofa brands in the UK.”
Cockerill-Mollett admits it’s hard to convince people he’s not joking when he tells them what he does for a living.
“When I was full-time with Walsall and people asked me what line of work I was in, you can’t really say anything other than: ‘I play football.’
“People kind of look at you strangely when you say that.
“But now when I say: ‘I sell zips,’ people still look at me even more strangely!
“Their first reaction is: ‘What do you mean you sell zips?’
“If they’re wearing a jacket I’ll point to the zip and say: ‘You know this thing here – someone’s got to make them!’
“It’s only when friends and family see our big factory in Leicester that they realise it’s quite a serious business.
“The company is called Zipex UK and we are one of the only manufacturers who still make zips in the UK.
“Most people import them from China.
“But we are one of the few firms you can call and say I need 116cm in this type of zip and we can make thousands of them.
“I suppose we’re flying the flag for Britain.”
However, on Sunday Cockerill-Mollett will be flying the flag for Tamworth as they look to pull off an FA Cup giant-killing act against Premier League giants Tottenham.
Tiny Tamworth are currently priced at 2,500/1 rank outsiders to win this year’s FA Cup.
Yet Leicester-born Callum kicked off his pro career with Walsall in 2016 – the year Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City stunned the world by beating Spurs to famously romp to the title.
That 5,000/1 shot was dubbed the Greatest Sporting Miracle of all time.
Now Foxes fan Callum hopes to create another sensational shock on Sunday, with The Lambs priced at 15/1 to beat Spurs.
“When you’re non-league you’re hoping to draw one of the Premier League big boys,” he said.
“When Spurs name came out after ours I was a bit shocked and then my phone never stopped ringing.
“It’s a bit surreal but it is what it is. When you’ve made it through three rounds, as we have we deserve a bit of glamour.
“We’ve earned our Spurs, so to speak, beating Macclesfield, Huddersfield and Burton Albion.
“As a Foxes fan I will never forget that famous title win. I celebrated with all the Leicester supporters at Victoria Park, when the team came on stage and Kasabian played.
“So I know miracles can happen and I wouldn’t mind getting James Maddison‘s shirt on Sunday if he plays – but I think quite a few of the lads are thinking the same way.”
Whatever happens on Sunday, it will be business as usual for the only Cockerill in the Tamworth camp, when he makes a speedy return to the zip trade on Monday!
