Western Counties Soccer

Marcus Rashford has surprisingly named Tim Howard as his childhood idol Tim Howard despite pursuing his professional career as a centre-forward. The Englishman watched the former United goalkeeper as a six-year-old in the Fletcher Moss Rangers development line and admits that watching the USA international harboured his intention to take football as a career.

Though he is now regarded as one of English's brightest young strikers, Rashford revealed that he started his initial career between the sticks, he told The Times: "My first season, I went in net. The thrill of scoring a goal, you get that same thrill when you save a good chance. Tim Howard was my idol. I used to have a little Tim Howard shirt."

United currently have the likes of David de Gea and Sergio Romero as the first and second choice goalkeepers, and he has indicated his ambition to don the gloves one day, although it is likely a distant and unlikely dream in present day football, he added: "You watch, there'll be a game... I'm going to get the gloves one day!"

Howard made 77 appearances for United during a four-year spell between 2003 and 2007 before making his way to Merseyside club Everton. The veteran spent a further nine years with the Toffees, and he is now back in Major League Soccer where he is plying his trade with the Colorado Rapids.

The 38-year-old has previously hinted that he could call time on his career following the 2018 World Cup, but the country's surprise failure to qualify for the global tournament could see him hang up his boots earlier than expected. Howard has racked over 600 appearances over the course of his professional career with the FA Cup success in the 2003-04 season with Manchester United being his best achievement. He also has nearly 125 caps with the United States' men team.