WHILE Todd Cantwell does not turn 24 until this weekend, he is already a household name among football fans across the country.

Having risen up through the ranks at Norwich City, the Norfolk-born star caught the eye as he helped the county’s one big club clinch promotion back to the Premier League.

Cantwell’s stock continued to rise the following year as the eyes of the world saw him impress in England’s top flight, playing 37 of the Canaries’ 38 matches and providing six goals and two assists along the way.

While Norwich were relegated, Cantwell was linked with a move away with various Premier League clubs reportedly interested.

But he stayed put, eventually helping Norwich secure another promotion, only to then fall out of favour this season with game-time hard to come by.

Cantwell, who represented England under-21s at last year’s European Championship, has now had to step away from the glitz and glamour of the Premier League to try and revive his career during a loan spell at Cherries in the second tier.

All being well, his loan could become permanent in the summer, with Cherries back in the Premier League.

However, despite his spell in the big time, scoring in games against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal, Cantwell has not forgotten his roots.

In an interview with afcbTV upon signing on transfer deadline day last month, the talented midfielder says he checked with his nan before agreeing to the move to Cherries.

And Cantwell, who travelled down to the south coast with his mother on signing day, explained how big a role his family play in his life.

“Most people probably thought I was joking about that, but I genuinely did ask my family’s opinion,” Cantwell told the Daily Echo.

“It’s very important that I value it. They’ve never angled me in the wrong direction.

“As long as I’ve got those people around me, I’ll always have my ears open for them.”

Cantwell also has family friends on the south coast, knowing people in New Milton and Wimborne, which has helped him to settle in after moving away from home comforts.

“It’s nice to have familiar faces around,” he said.

“I’ve nipped my head in a couple of times, so it’s nice to know that’s there’s people around you here and if you needed them to be, they’d be there.

“It’s nice to have that. I’ve got friends that are willing to travel and family as well.

“Obviously it’s not the quickest journey from Norwich, but there is ways of getting here.”

Another familiar face to Cantwell came on the training ground, in the shape of Gary O’Neil.

O’Neil was part of Norwich’s first team when Cantwell was making his way through the academy.

The pair are now working together again, with O’Neil a senior first-team coach at Cherries, having arrived at the club in February 2021.

During his time as a youngster with the Canaries, Cantwell used to clean O’Neil’s boots. Asked if the 38-year-old has reminded him of that since he joined him on the training ground at Cherries this month, Cantwell said: “I don’t even know if he knew that, you know!

“When I was a scholar at Norwich, we used to have to clean the senior boys’ boots.

“And at the time, I was training with the first team, which was a bit surreal really because I don’t know if it happens that often now. To me, it was something I actually valued because it made you remember that you’re not where you think you are.

“A bit humbling in the sense that you’re cleaning players’ boots that you’re playing with.

“Obviously I wasn’t playing at that point, but I was training.

“I like that as a scholar. You realise you’re not where you think you are until you’re out there and someone’s cleaning yours.

“It doesn’t happen at Norwich now, but it was something I thought to be a good thing.”