Though he's now 21, Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross has revealed he's shot up two inches over the last 12 months.

He explained to The Sentinel: "I was having a problem with my knees and my back, so we checked back to my height when I signed permanently for Stoke a year ago.

"That's how I know I've grown five centimetres over the past year.

"My back is pretty weak as a result, so we've been doing plenty of strengthening work to make it stronger.

"I think quite a few players have had this kind of problem in the past. It's just a case of managing it properly by resting when you have the chance between matches."