PAUL Grayson knows all about being brought up in a football heartland as he played for Accrington Stanley before becoming an England Rugby World Cup record-breaker.

The Chorley-born fly half famously stepped out for the Reds in late 1980s before channelling his talents in to Rugby Union - and it was a decision well made.

While Jonny Wilkinson is the man with the golden boots, even he can't match the kicking record of the former Parkland High School pupil.

For Grayson, the current assistant coach at Northampton Saints, holds the record for most points scored in a World Cup match (36 against Tonga in 1999), most conversions in a game and in a tournament.

It's an astonishing feat considering England's all-time second highest points scorer didn't take the traditional route in to rugby "My dad followed rugby and my brother played it so I was surrounded by the game but for me it was always football," said Grayson who went to Duke Street Primary School. "I didn't attend the private schools that played rugby, although I did play a bit at Parkland. By today's standards that is quite unusual."

It was his spell at Stanley that convinced Grayson that his sporting career lay elsewhere.

"Playing for Accrington Stanley was a defining moment for me because it was then that I decided my future wasn't in football. I was at the club for about four months and played mainly in the Reserves.

"I enjoyed it, but I knew it wasn't for me."

The 36-year-old, whose parents still live in Euxton, joined Preston Grasshoppers before playing out his career at Northampton. He was promoted to head coach but has since stepped aside with Jim Mallinder now in charge at Franklin's Gardens.

Ahead of tomorrow's game against France, Grayson said: "People say England celebrated as if they had won the World Cup itself, but at this stage every match is like a final. England's forwards were superb against Australia and we need a repeat performances against France to stand any chance of winning."