Soccer: Old and Wood make the breakthrough in Britain

Steven Old admits he felt a little like a criminal as he recently pleaded his case for a visa to stay in the UK and play for Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League.

The 23-year-old appeared in front of a panel of seven members who held his footballing career in their hands.

He had initially been denied a working visa on the basis he had not appeared in 75 per cent of New Zealand's internationals over the past two years - his tally was closer to 60 per cent.

But his argument must have helped win over the panel because he has been given the green light to resume a professional football career that looked uncertain when he was released by the Wellington Phoenix more than a year ago.

Last month, he signed a three-year deal which will see him remain at Kilmarnock until 2012 and with the chance to become just the second New Zealander after Celtic striker Chris Killen to play in the Scottish Premier League.

Old's signing was a surprise to many in New Zealand but not as much as news of Chris Wood's debut for West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League last weekend.

The 17-year-old striker played the final 15 minutes of West Brom's 2-2 draw with Portsmouth, becoming just the fifth New Zealander behind Lee Norfolk, Danny Hay, Ryan Nelsen and Simon Elliott to play in the Premier League.

He had scored a bucketload of goals for the youth and reserve teams before his shock call-up and has earned rave reviews at the Hawthorns since going there on trial eight months ago.

His elevation to the first team last weekend was such a surprise, West Brom needed Portsmouth's kit staff to print his name and a number on his shirt just hours before kickoff.

"It was a great experience to get on and make my debut in the Premier League," Wood, who was recently named in the expanded 30-man All Whites squad for June's Confederations Cup, told local reporters. "I found out I was travelling about an hour before the squad travelled on Friday. The gaffer asked if I'd got my tracksuit and I said I could get it.

"And he said I was travelling with them. I just had a big smile on my face.

"I should have done better with a header. I got up ahead of Sol Campbell and it should have been in the back of the net. It was a great experience to be out there against those big professionals. The plan is hopefully to get on the bench and get a couple more games under my belt."

Wood found himself back in the reserves on Thursday morning (NZT) and back on the scoresheet in their 4-2 win over West Ham's reserves.

His chances of seeing more time in the Premiership this season are questionable but with West Brom almost certain to be relegated, he could see more first-team action next season.

"He is a gentle giant but he's got great technique," West Brom manager Tony Mowbray said of the 191cm-tall striker. "He's got a great ability to bring the ball into his body and keep it for the team.

"And he has added goals to it. I know it's only at youth and reserve team level but he scores goals and that suggests he plays in the right areas of the pitch.

"I think he's got a bright future. We'll drop him in and take him out when we think it's right."

Wood is reportedly on an apprentice wage of 105 ($265) a week but this will
be boosted significantly when he signs a professional contract. He can't expect to match Blackburn skipper Ryan Nelsen, who is said to earn $8 million a season, but he should soon be able to afford a new pair of boots.

Old won't be a millionaire either but he has hit something of a jackpot with Kilmarnock. He had initially been tagged as Nelsen's successor, when he captained the national under-23 side as a 17-year-old, but his career went off track when he was cut by the Phoenix at after the 2007-08 A-League season.

He then played for the Macarthur Rams in the New South Wales state league just to get game time before the Olympics.

"I'm the first to say I didn't have a great season with the Phoenix," Old says from Palmerston North, where he is awaiting the return of his passport from Canberra before he can venture back to Kilmarnock. "I'm quite hard on myself, let alone what others might say about me, and some people have slated me.

"But I maintained belief that I could make it in a top league and through hard work, dedication and belief, I think I have got there."

After a two-week trial, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies called him into his office.

"I felt I had been doing OK but you never know how you're going because the gaffer doesn't talk to you when you're on trial," Old says. "At the end of the two weeks, he said they wanted to sign me."

It wasn't quite as simple as that. Old has sent his passport away to get the stamp but, with only six rounds of the Scottish season remaining, he is in a battle against time to make his debut this season. Kilmarnock should survive relegation, given they are eighth of 12 teams, six points above bottom-placed Falkirk.

Then Steven Old will have the certainty that has been missing from his career for the past 12 months.