SOCCER: Amid all the discussion about Chris Byrne over the last few days, two points have cropped up again and again.

One, Byrne is an incredibly talented footballer, whose place in Macclesfield Town folklore is pretty much assured.

Two, his lifestyle off the pitch has tended to lead him into serious trouble.

It is not believed that Thursday night's shooting in a Hulme side alley had anything to do with Byrne's previous off-field problems.

Police are treating the attack by three hooded men as an attempted robbery of Byrne's BMW.

But last week's attack on the midfielder is the latest shocking chapter in the story of a man who has faced troubling times on and off the pitch.

On the field, Byrne has managed to come back from two career-threatening knee injuries.

Off it, he has been in trouble with the law more than once.

Born in Hulme in 1975, Byrne was a relative latecomer to professional football - not making his Football League debut until he was 22.

He was playing semi-pro football at Droylsden when Sammy McIlroy and Gil Prescott spotted him.

Byrne signed for Macclesfield on non-contract forms in January 1997.

McIlroy said: "I had been trying to get Chris Byrne for two years before we finally signed him.

"And when he did arrive, he added to the team. He gave us goals from midfield and a little bit of skill."

But the real praise came from Prescott. He said: "I think Chris is the best player to have come out of the Conference in the last 15 years."

Praise indeed from a man renowned for his knowledge of non-league football.

Prescott added: "I remember seeing him play for Flixton, before he joined Droylsden. He was a very slight player, but that never dented his courage. It didn't matter who was in his way, he would get through."

Byrne made an immediate impact at Macclesfield, scoring a hat-trick in the first 29 minutes of his debut, against Kidsgrove Athletic in the Staffordshire Senior Cup.

But the defining moment of his career came four months later, in a crucial Conference match at Kettering.

Byrne hit a hat-trick as Macclesfield won 4-1 at Rockingham Road to secure their place in the Football League.

Peter Reid was impressed enough to take Byrne to Sunderland in the summer of 1997.

Prescott said: "He went to Sunderland and was in their first team within about three weeks. And this was at a time when Sunderland were on the up.

"But he likes to be close to his family, and that's the reason he didn't settle up there."

McIlroy added: "It's a shame that he had those injuries, because when he went to Sunderland I thought it was a great opportunity for him to hit the big time.

"But he was homesick as well, and that was another factor in his decision to come back to the North West."

There was controversy too after Byrne was questioned by police after a murder suspect was found in his North East hotel. But no charges were brought against the midfielder.

Byrne subsequently returned to the North West to join Stockport County.

David Moss was County's assistant manager during Byrne's time at Edgeley Park.

Moss said: "When he first came to Edgeley Park, he looked comfortable playing in the First Division.

"He looked the part, he scored goals, and I thought he had a very, very good future."

But then two cru ciate knee ligament injuries threatened to end his career altogether. Twice Byrne recovered, but his conviction for being involved in a chemist burglary in Urmston in 1999 jeopardised his future again.

He went back to Macclesfield on loan that autumn, where he became a hero once more.

And when County manager Andy Kilner decided to release Byrne in 2001, the midfielder jumped at the chance of a third spell at the Moss Rose.

Prescott, the manager who brought him back to Macc, said: "There were a lot of clubs with more money than us who wanted him.

"But we'd kept in touch with him. I'd always got on well with him, and he wanted to be happy where he was playing his football, so he agreed to come back to Macclesfield."

Byrne suffered with injuries again last season, but still played a crucial role as Macclesfield pulled away from the foot of Division Three.

Moss said: "I still think that, on his day, Chris Byrne is the best goalscoring midfielder in the Third Division. We're going to miss a player of that calibre when we've got such a small squad anyway.

"His goals have often turned out to be match winners, and we do miss him.

"What happened to him last week is something that I've never heard happen to a footballer before."

And Silkmen supporters will wish Byrne well as he begins his recovery.

As Prescott said: "I'm so, so sad for him. He was just getting back to fitness, and this has happened.

"All we can do now is support him and hope that the lad gets himself right as quickly as possible."

Meanwhile, McIlroy has hailed Chris Byrne's famous Conference-title clinching hat-trick at Kettering as the finest he has seen.

And the Northern Ireland boss, who brought Byrne to Macc in 1996, believes the midfielder could have played in the Premiership.

Byrne's three goals in Macc's 4-1 win at Kettering in 1997 effectively sealed their promotion to the Football League.

McIlroy said: "It was one of the finest hat-tricks I've seen. That was a magical day.

"We played some fantastic football that day, and Chris played a big part in it.

"He's a fantastic player. For me, he was one of the main men when we won the Conference for the second time."

McIlroy believes that Byrne's bad luck with injuries were a factor in denying him a crack at the top flight.

For the midfielder looked set for his big chance when Sunderland signed him in 1997.

McIlroy said: "He's had some very bad luck with injuries. A seasoned pro would have found it hard to come back from some of the injuries he's had. He did well to battle back."

McIlroy, who took Macclesfield from the Conference to Division Two during his seven years as Macclesfield manager, added that Byrne would be desperate to stay in football.

"I think the game's where he wants to be. He loves playing. I hope he gets himself together, recovers and gets playing again.

"I don't know what he does outside the game, but the Chris Byrne I worked with loves to score goals. He needs to be involved in the game."