A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD footballer from Great Sankey has been told by Everton coaching staff that he is better than Wayne Rooney was at the same age.

Harry Simmons, who plays for Birchwood and attends Barrow Hall Community Primary School, was snapped up by Everton's Academy before he had reached the age of five and has just won the club's player of the year award in his age group for the second year in a row.

The striker has attracted interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, Bolton and Blackburn after scoring more than 100 goals this season and winning a total of six trophies with Everton, Birchwood and Wilkos - his Sunday League side in Liverpool.

He won the Warrington Junior Soccer League title with Birchwood this year and scored 91 goals for them last season despite being a year younger than most of his teammates.

Harry's playing style is not unlike that of Rooney, who started his career at Everton and is now starring for Manchester United and England.

But, despite interest from elsewhere, Harry is an Everton fan and has a season ticket at Goodison Park, so is happy to stay with the team he supports as a boy.

His father Mark, who was also on Everton's books as a youngster and is involved in the running of Phoenix Olympic Boxing Centre in Warrington, said: "If Harry said to me he didn't like it at Everton I'd take him elsewhere but he absolutely loves it.

"He was playing a friendly for Birchwood when he was four-and-a-half and he scored eight goals and the team won 10-0.

"A Manchester United scout was there and they offered him 18 months in their development academy but as soon as he got the chance to go to Everton he went there because we're both Evertonians.

"The coach sat us down recently and said that he was really pleased with how he's doing and that he is better than Wayne Rooney was at the same age. This is from the person who coached Wayne Rooney and still knows him well.

"Harry's a striker but he can drop off and can hit it with his left or right foot.

"He's more than just a striker, he's an all-round player. He's doesn't half have a shot on him and he's knocked out four keepers this year! He's a bit of an animal!"