THE CURIOUS CASE OF BEN BRERETON DIAZ

Perseverance has always been one of Ben Brereton Diaz’s defining qualities. Whether it’s recovering from the blow of being released by Manchester United and then Stoke City, or finally confounding the critics at Blackburn Rovers in spectacular style, he is not a player that gives up without a fight.

That mental strength was clear to see in his first pre-season as a Nottingham Forest player. The club had acted quickly to sign him after he wasn’t offered an apprenticeship by Stoke, his hometown club, and he was eager to impress. For Jack Lester, the Under-18s’ manager, one moment in particular stands out.

“We had a very tough programme at Forest at that time,” he recalls. “We did some character-building work up in the Lake District. The challenge at the end of the day was to take a log up the mountain. He was one of the youngest, but he was the first up there. That always stuck in my mind – that determination and resilience he had to be a winner.”

Lester liked what he saw on the pitch too. Brereton