The making of the 'monster': Jack Draper left Chelsea's academy and told his parents he had to quit school before his relentless drive to the top... those who helped him get there reveal secrets behind his success
There's a fabulous, untold yarn about Jack Draper that tells us a little about his backhand and far more about his mind. It is also why the sharer of this tale uses 'savage' as a term of endearment.
To get there, we must go back 13 years, to when Draper was 10 and his coach at the time felt a tweak was necessary.
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Adrian Heath (midfielder): Club-record signing for Everton when he moved from Stoke shortly before the Euros. Since retiring in 1997, he has spent time managing a number of teams in the US. Gary Shaw (forward): Before this triumph his goals had propelled Aston Villa to a First Division title and European Cup, but his career was seriously hindered by a knee injury in 1983. Died in 2024. Paul Goddard (forward): Played (and scored) for the senior team before this tournament in a friendly against Iceland but that proved his only senior appearance. Led the line for a number of top-division clubs, including West Ham. David Hodgson (forward): Successes at Middlesbrough had earned a move to Liverpool and he played for five other Football League clubs and had spells in Spain, Japan, and France. Later managed Darlington. Justin Fashanu (forward): One of the first £1m players, and the first professional footballer in England to come out as gay, he played for 22 clubs. 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Derek Mountfield (defender): His only under-21 appearance came in the second leg. Enjoyed success with Everton before playing for clubs including Aston Villa and Wolves. Nick Pickering (defender): Had made his one senior England appearance, in a friendly against Australia, before this final. Left Sunderland in 1986 for Coventry, where he won the FA Cup. Danny Thomas (midfielder): Won again. Paul Bracewell (midfielder): Won major trophies with Everton after leaving Sunderland, for whom he played in three spells. Won three England caps and had short-lived forays into management with Fulham and Halifax. Kevin Brock (midfielder): Spent the longest spells of his career at Oxford and Newcastle. After retiring he had lengthy and fruitful spells of management with non-league Banbury United and Ardley United. Steve Hodge (midfielder): Got 24 England caps and made 386 league appearances for clubs including Forest and Villa. 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Cameron Archer (forward, substitute): Has experienced relegation from the Premier League with Sheffield United athen Southampton, where he remains. Oliver Skipp (midfielder, substitute): After Leicester bought him from Spurs in a deal worth more than £20m last summer, he has made only 10 league starts. Harvey Elliott (midfielder, substitute): Fired the under-21s into the 2025 final with two goals against the Netherlands. Giving serious thought to leaving Liverpool after barely getting a look-in last season. Tommy Doyle (midfielder, substitute): A successful loan at Wolves from Manchester City led to a permanent transfer last summer.
