Wrexham skipper Joe Clarke admits he owes his pro career to Sunderland winger Adam Johnson.

Back in 2011, Clarke's career was at a crossroads. Having started out at the bottom of the football pyramid with Evesham Town, Redditch United and Solihull Moors, a move up to the Conference with Darlington hadn't worked out and he was forced to try out at Wrexham without a guaranteed salary.

He couldn't afford to pay the petrol for the daily 160-mile round trip from his home in the West Midlands to north Wales, and was indebted when Johnson, then of Manchester City, invited him to lodge with him in Cristiano Ronaldo's palatial five-bedroom home in Alderley Edge, complete with indoor swimming pool, steam room, jacuzzi, gym and wine area.

"Adam was renting the house and was very generous letting me stay there," Clarke, who only became friends with Johnson through Everton midfielder Gareth Barry, told the Mail on Sunday.

"I was able to go into training at Wrexham happy and it paid off because I got the contract, I've been there four years and now we've got this great FA Cup third round game to look forward to." "I didn't pay rent - I wouldn't have been able to afford to pay the proper going rate - but I helped out in the garden and with other stuff."