Massive, Great

Last updated : 01 August 2007 By Editor

"It's a massive, massive club. But it's a bit like Bayern Munich in the sense that there's a family atmosphere. There's such a tight-knit group, especially around the team, and so far everyone has been fantastic, very accommodating. Everything is taken care of for you, which is something that happens at big clubs. Of course I've been here plenty of times with England, trained plenty of times, and I've got to know the ground and some of the staff behind the scenes. So far it all looks great.

"It definitely is home for my family. My mum's in Rhyl, which isn't far away, and my dad's family is from Farnworth, so both families are really within a few minutes really. My mum and dad moved to Canada 20-odd years ago to work, I was raised there and my two brothers are still there. But obviously all our family ties are still here. Playing for England, and now with the opportunity to play for the biggest team in the world in an area where all my family is… that's a dream come true. It doesn't get any better. I'm really excited and looking forward to the next four seasons.