THE HOLE WORLD AT HIS FEET

SOCCER wonderkid Wayne Rooney is poised to make millions...yet as a 10-year-old schoolboy he couldn't afford a pair of boots.

A green football sock can be seen poking through the toe of his trainers as he lines up with the team of Our Lady and St Swithin's RC Primary School in Croxteth, Liverpool.

But that right foot still inflicted a lot of damage as the future Everton star helped St Swithin's win the schoolboy league. Team-mate Jordan Alvis, 16, said: "With Wayne up front, we were always top dogs."

But Wayne's family did struggle to make ends meet. Neighbour Margaret Carnell: "They are a salt-of-the-earth type of family but never had much money."

It was while Wayne was playing for St Swithin's that he was signed by Everton, going on to score for the first team at 16. Now 17 he is set to sign a pounds 10,000-a-week contract. School head Tony McCaul said: "Wayne wasn't bothered by the hole in his trainers - he'd have played in bare feet.

"He was growing quickly so must have needed new trainers pretty often. Now he can afford all the shoes he wants."

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