When you're a young lad in a team like Arsenal, you feel like, of course, you deserve to be at the club... but you're on the periphery, and there are world-class players and more experienced players around you.
My dad had a spell when he came out of coaching doing some work with underprivileged children on quite a rough council estate in Southampton to help the kids and take them out to places. I used to go along with him. I used to play football with them, mess about with them. I was only 13 or 14 and became good friends with them.
I always hear commentators talking about squads that have been around and that have won things; they always mention the experience of winning and knowing what it takes to win. They have only got that through winning trophies and winning competitions.
In my head, I was like any young kid: 'I'm going to be a footballer.' But at the same time, my mum and dad were making me do my schoolwork, and that was important.
I remember watching David Beckham scoring that free-kick at Old Trafford to take England to a World Cup. Things like that stick with you. I was at Southsea, waiting to board a hovercraft for the Isle of Wight. We ended up missing it because we were more interested in watching the big screen.
Getting stronger and fitter by playing games is only going to help me.
