PARENTS everywhere will be well accustomed to providing the role of taxi service, especially if their children are keen on sport, but spare a thought for Daisy Mullan’s dad Chris.

He happens to be a taxi driver by trade, and it is perhaps just as well as this year his talented daughter could conceivably play for 19 different teams in cricket and football.

That has left the 59-year-old dad-of-four on a permanent busman’s holiday, ferrying Daisy all over the North West each week to training and matches, but he would not have it any other way.

“The schedule of matches and training is difficult to keep up with, but our main issue is trying to stop her from doing too much,” said Chris, of Turton Road, Bradshaw.

“We have to manage her time so she can get rest. It’s not really about who she plays for or how many teams she plays for, it’s about how much she plays.

“But Daisy just loves being out there on a pitch. She likes the camaraderie and the friendship she has built up, so as long as she is enjoying it then my role will be to take Daisy wherever she wants to be.”

The 14-year-old Turton High School pupil is certainly a young girl in demand, especially at this time of year when the football and cricket seasons cross over.

Last weekend she played in the finals of the FA People’s Cup in Birmingham, helping her Elita 5s team to the final of the under-14s competition.

They eventually finished second after losing 4-2 to a Kingston Select team that included three academy players from Chelsea and Arsenal.

Daisy also recently scored a hat-trick to help Academy Juniors U14s beat their closest challengers, Heyside Angels, and clinch the North Manchester League title.

She plays for the same team in the West Lancashire League, where they currently top their division and have qualified for the County Cup final, while Daisy also regularly turns out for Greater Manchester Schools u14s girls’ team.

The young fanatic is mulling over the possibility of signing for a fully-fledged academy side, but that could put her football on a collision course with cricket.

She was recently picked for the Lancashire women’s second team and is already in the Lancashire Thunder development squad, which is a fast-track into the Kia Super League – the pinnacle of the women’s domestic game.

Daisy also turns out for Lancashire Girls’ U17s and U15s, as well as the county regional squad.

Away from the county set-up, the teenager plays for Leigh Women’s first team in the Cheshire League and their t20 side in the Lancashire League, as well as Leigh Girls’ U15s. Closer to home she turns out for Bradshaw in the Bolton League, regularly playing for their seconds, thirds, u15s and u13s, and recently became a member of the new Egerton Women’s first team, which will play in the Lancashire League.

Daisy is also in the Bolton District U13s team, and will later this year tour Barbados as part of the County Festival’s national side.

“If I could I would love to carry on playing both sports and one day represent England at cricket and football,” she said.

“At the moment, I have had more success in cricket but if the schedule allows I would like to give it a try.”

Chris is unsure if that will be possible, physically and logistically, but he would never rule it out.

“There is a priority list, with Lancashire Thunder and the county cricket teams at the top,” he said.

“But Jen Barden, who manages the Lancashire women’s set-up, is very understanding.

“She knows how important her football is to Daisy.

“Sometimes it depends on the importance of the games, as to which take precedence, but because cricket and football are played at different times of the year it could be possible to manage her schedule to keep them both going.”