Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell says that nothing else has inspired him in life in the way that football has.
The England international is the latest star to endorse Barclays My Space for Sport campaign.
The 21-year-old, who has had a season marred by niggling injuries for Everton, was visiting a football facility created by his Merseyside club.
He told Barclays YouTube channel: “I always used to watch football, I used to love it.
“Nothing really at that age inspired me more than football.
“Every time we had a spare hour my Dad used to bring me here and all I wanted to do was play football.”
The Everton player visited the outdoor facility at the Everton FC Barclays Spaces for Sports site where he met and played football with local kids who use it.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of young kids around here that support Everton and to come here and all together they may feel part of it. It’s a great facility for the young people,” he said.
“With the facilities it’s got it’s brilliant for the community.
“I remember when I was a young kid and I would have loved to have met an Everton player. It was exciting to see their faces and it was really good to be involved with that.”
Barclays Spaces for Sports is a community sports programme which uses the positive power of sport to revitalise disadvantaged communities. In the UK Barclays has delivered 200 community sport sites in partnership with the Football Foundation and continues to reinvest in the sites today, helping them to acheive sustainability.
