A lot of people don't know that my father is black

I had my footballing heroes such as Bryan Robson and Diego Maradona but my dad was a rugby league star, and he was my real hero. But the relationship with my mum was rocky and we saw things that would affect any youngster.

Every one is special. Especially after the disappointment of last year, losing out on the last day, it is a great achievement by the lads.

Celebrity culture, it's everywhere, isn't it? It's reality TV, Big Brother. I didn't become a footballer to be famous, I became a footballer to be successful. I didn't want to be famous. Now people want to be famous. Why? Why would you want people following you about all day?

When you lose a game or don't play well you can't wait for the next one, because it soon disappears, the disappointment.

I had an early taste of fame. I was 20, going out with TV presenter Dani Behr and we'd have paparazzi chasing us. I'm not comfortable being photographed, though I accept it is part of the job. I had to ask myself, 'What comes first, being a celebrity or footballer?

European football games or evening games seem to take a lot more out of you because you don't sleep that night. And as you get older, it gets worse.