Theo Walcott has confessed he grew a moustache and a designer beard because he was sick of Arsenal players calling him "Sweet Little Boy". Walcott, who joined the club at 16 and was in England's World Cup squad at 17, was taunted for his baby-faced looks.

But he insists he has grown up now.

Walcott said: "They used to call me Sweet Little Boy. That's why I grew the beard and 'tache. They can't use that any more."

He admits he is a goody two-shoes but cringes when recalling one incident at school.

The forward, now 20, said: "It's not like me but there was this boy who took our ball and had me in a headlock.

"So I punched him and made his nose bleed. I had to stand by a wall for 10 minutes.

"My family kept my feet on the ground. If I'd done anything wrong they would have got to know about it. But I was a good little boy."