James Gaskell, the Sale and England Saxons forward, loved football long before he tried his hand at the sport which would earn him a living. Born in Crewe and raised in Sandbach, he played centre-back for a team called Hayes and had trials with Macclesfield Town. When the opportunity arose, he would watch Stoke City or Man Utd. “My grandparents got me into Man Utd,” he explains, “and Peter Schmeichel was my childhood hero. He brought so much energy and passion to it all and as a kid that inspires you.”

Watch this short video to see why Gaskell loved watching Man Utd’s blond Danish goalkeeper of the 1990s.