Mum's the word for Glen
Glen Johnson has revealed why any medals he wins with Liverpool and England will go straight to his mum.
The 25-year-old hands all his memorabilia to his mum Wendy as a thank-you for bringing him up in difficult circumstances.
In a candid interview about the World Cup with a national newspaper, Johnson lifted the lid on his childhood - including a period when his family were homeless.
"I wouldn't be sitting here in an England tracksuit now if it wasn't for all my mum's sacrifices and everything she did for me," he said.
"She had a tough time, bringing up three kids as a single parent with no help apart from the goodwill of close friends, and there were times when we had nowhere to stay.
"At one point we were homeless and staying in a hostel, but once mum got herself on her feet after a few hard years, and passed her driving test so she could take me to football every week, that gave us a fresh start.
"She's got all the medals I've won, all the shirts and souvenirs, as my way of thanking her for bringing me up - and there's one more medal I would love to give her as a present, but she will have to wait until July 11.
"If England make it to the World Cup final, and I am lucky enough to get a medal, I would definitely give it straight to my mum - because she deserves it and she's the one who has earned it."
Johnson's move from Fratton Park to Anfield last summer has helped cement his place in Fabio Capello's starting XI.
Despite his superstar status, there is no danger of Johnson forgetting his roots.
In 2007 he set up his own soccer school to help children aged four to 16.
The right-back added: "To play in a World Cup would be another boyhood dream fulfilled, like making your debut, but now we've got to make sure we get it right in South Africa.
"I've come a long way since I went out on loan to Millwall as a teenager, but I've never been the type of player who looks too far into the future.
"In football you always remember where you came from, and at that time I was just a lad who grew up in south-east London trying to make his way in the game.
"That's one of the main reasons I set up my own soccer school in Dartford. When I was a young kid, all I wanted to do was to play football, but there weren't a lot of places where you could kick a ball around safely.
"Setting up that school was my way of giving a little bit back, keeping kids off the streets and giving them an aim in life. I know, because I've been there.
"I don't know how much the England boys will get to see of South Africa when we get out there, but I'm fully aware of the situation in some of the townships, where they are crazy about football but you see them playing in bare feet on dusty brown fields.
"Like the kids who come to our soccer schools, all they want is a chance and a goal in life, and I hope the World Cup brings them more hope of attaining it."
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awwwwww
that really was something nice to read.