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In England's matchday programmes, TheFA.com asked current England players to choose their heroes and explain their reasons why.  Here, we spoke to Newcastle and England Under-21 star James Milner who, perhaps unsurprisingly, picked a Geordie legend as his hero.

 

Milner is England’s most-capped Under-21 international of all time, and is an integral part of Stuart Pearce’s Under 21s squad as they look to qualify for the European Under 21 Championship Finals in Sweden in 2009.

 

In November 2002, at just 16 years of age, the winger made his debut for Leeds United and just one month later, he became the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer (aged 16 years 357 days).

 

Then, in the summer of 2004, he fulfilled every boy’s dream of playing with one of his heroes when he signed for Newcastle United and teamed up with Alan Shearer.

 

“England have had so many great players, but a couple stand out: Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne,” enthused Milner.

 

“Unfortunately I never played with Gazza, but I played with Al though. He was an unbelievable player and it was great for me to play alongside him and train with him.

 

“Playing with Al every day was a good experience for someone like me and I learned a lot from him.”

 

For Milner, the European Championships of 1996, held in England, were where Shearer and Gascoigne’s hero status were assured.

 

“Euro 96 was a very memorable time”, Milner recalls.

 

“That whole team was exciting to watch. Alan finished top scorer, but Gazza’s goal against Scotland was one of the highlights. The way he took the ball over the defender’s head and put it away was superb.”