Here is the latest news about England players past, present and future you may not have read elsewhere...
SHOWBIZ STEVIE

Following John Barnes rapping for England on New Order's fantastic No1 single 'World in Motion', another Liverpool star is lost in showbiz. Midfielder Steve Gerrard - who sadly missed out on the World Cup with injury - is going to appear in the next video for indy band The Crescents. The group grew up with Gerrard in Huyton, Merseyside and have remained good mates with him. The single is called Spinning Wheels and Gerrard has forgiven the band that they are Everton supporters!

KEEGAN PUTS HIS SHIRT ON SHAKERS

Kevin Keegan has donated the England under-23 shirt he wore against West Germany 30 years ago to be auctioned off. The cause? Bury FC who nearly went out of business earlier this year. Bury hope the shirt - which still has the mudstains collected on a rainy night at Ashton Gate - will fetch £5,000.

DRIVEN TO SUCCESS

The days of clubs insisting their players live within a 30-mile radius of the stadium seem to be on the wane. Former England skipper Paul Ince has just joined Wolves but will continue commute daily from The Wirrall, the other side of the Mersey from Liverpool. That's a good three-hour round trip - when the M6 isn't snarled up. "It's OK, the wife has been nagging me to get out the house," says Ince, who spent his first full summer at home for 20 years after leaving Middlesbrough in May.

WAYNE'S WORLD

Wayne Rooney, tipped to be the 'next big thing' in English football is picking up plenty of international experience even though Everton aren't in Europe this season. The England under-17 striker has been joined at Goodison by new David Moyes signings Joseph Yobo (Nigeria), Chinese pair Li Weifeng and Li Tie and Rodrigo of Brazil. In pre-season friendlies Shrewsbury, his team-mates also included triallists Omar Daley (Jamaica) and Lomboutis (Greece). "A club like Everton doesn't have a massive budget so we have to be imaginative with our signings," explains Moyes.

ANYONE FOR NETBALL?

The English netball team that finished fourth in the Commonwealth Games had a couple of famous footballing names in it. Most people know by now that Tracey Neville - Gary and Phil's sister - is a stalwart of the England team. But the goalshooter also has a recognisable surname. 6ft 4ins Alex Astle is married to the nephew of the late great Jeff Astle who died earlier this year of cancer. Jeff was a West Brom legend in the 60s and 70s who later resurfaced as a crooner on the BBC’s Fantasy Football Programme.