IF Ian Rodgerson needed any better preparation for the physiotherapy degree course he may take up at Brunel University next September he could not have chosen a better club than Hereford United.

The Edgar Street club's physio room has been a hive of activity with a steady stream of broken bodies filing through his door.

For the versatile Rodgerson, who turned 35 on Tuesday, it has been an illustrious playing career but fitting for the Hereford born player to return to the club he signed for as a 17-year-old from Pegasus Juniors.

"It's been great to be involved with a club like Hereford although it hasn't been easy combining playing with physio duties," he said.

"I'm getting to that stage of career where I'm looking to concentrate on the physio side and I've been offered a place at Brunel which is something I've got to sit down and think about.

"However I'm still fit and I'd still like to carry on playing."

Rodgerson has become the Bulls' longest serving player after rejoining in 1997/98 but he also enjoyed successful spells at Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday where he spent in a year in the top flight.

However Rodgerson now finds himself pitching in to save a club at the wrong end of the football scales in the Nationwide Conference but with the club's financial plight well-known accepts it is a difficult situation.

"Money is really tight and that is just a fact of life at the moment," he said. "When we first entered the Conference we did quite well and were always there and thereabouts but this year the standard has not been good enough and we've drawn far too many home games.

"It has been surprising to find ourselves drawn into the relegation battle but now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get out of trouble."

Rodgerson has a multitude of experiences to call on including enduring a drop down divisions with Cardiff but he admits relegation scraps can be hard for the younger members of the team to deal with.

"I'm sure some of the younger lads are finding it a bit hard and it is a little unnerving to find yourself in this position and under pressure but you have to be strong enough to deal with it," he added.

However if any of the Bulls talented youngsters did need advice it's clear they could not have better man to turn to than the veteran Rodgerson, who to coin a phrase, has been there and done it.