Bernard Manning's son helped Craig Dawson

The son of comedian Bernard Manning 'bullied' West Brom defender Craig Dawson into giving up bar work and trying his luck in football.

Manning's son, also called Bernard, persuaded Dawson to give up his glass collecting job at the Dog and Partridge in Rochdale to train with non-league Radcliffe Borough.

And Manning Junior, whose own son Ben was a school-friend of the Baggies man, is "bursting with pride" to see Dawson finally prospering in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old signed a new three-year contract this week, after starting all six Premier League games so far this season for Albion.

And Manning Junior, the chairman of Radcliffe, said: "I was his first chairman but I'd known Craig for a long, long time because he's good friends with my son Ben.

"Craig stood out. I was quite puzzled why more clubs wouldn't take a chance on him. He was a very shy lad, quite unassuming and it was clear to me that he preferred playing football with his mates.

"We 'bullied' him into coming to Radcliffe Borough. Craig was 16 or 17 playing with his pals and working in the Dog and Partridge.

"I said 'Craig, what are you doing collecting glasses in the local pub? You can do better than this...come down to Radcliffe and give it a try.'

"He used to say 'do you really think I am good enough?'. I had to pretty much throw him in the back of the car to get him to training at Radcliffe."

"He did some pre-season and we put him into a friendly against Salford City. I told our manager Kevin Glendon at the time that this guy could play a bit.

"Craig then put this crunching challenge in, won the ball and I could see Kevin giving me this look from the corner of his eye that said 'wow'. It was all upwards from there.

"I honestly thought Craig would make a really good living in football. I wasn't sure what level he would reach but I knew he could.

"The thing with Craig is that he prospers when people believe in him. He's not the kind of lad to get carried away.

"I am waiting for the day he scores the winner against Manchester United – as I'm a big Man City fan and I know Craig followed United!

"I'm bursting with pride at how well he's doing but it's all been of his own doing."