ENGLAND superstar Owen Hargreaves will be cheered on by his own Bolton-based fan club during the crunch World Cup tie with Argentina.

The midfielder's dad Colin, who was on Wanderers' books, is from Farnworth and four of his relatives who still live in the town will be hoping he performs well against Veron and co in Sapporo tomorrow if he is picked to play.

The family emigrated to Canada before Owen was born, but Colin's uncles Joseph and Walter Hargreaves, auntie Annie Hilton and cousin Rhoda, have all watched the midfield dynamo's startling rise over the past 18 months from the Bayern Munich team to the England squad.

Owen's great uncle Joseph, from Radcliffe, is one of his biggest fans and is sure he will be a key player in the World Cup after the team made a disappointing start against Sweden.

He said: "I sincerely think that within 12 months Owen will be in Beckham's position. He'd make a really good captain."

The 82-year-old former paper mill worker has never met Owen, but looks forward to the day he may play for Bolton Wanderers.

Although England star Owen has never been to Bolton, he knows all about the town from his proud Boltonian father who lived in Elizabeth Street and played for the Wanderers youth team. He remains a staunch fan of the Whites.

Colin keeps up with news back home via the Bolton Evening News internet site www.thisisbolton.co.uk HERE and returned to Farnworth for three days when Owen's Bayern Munich played Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League this year. He and mum Margaret stayed with his cousin Rhoda Hilton in Campbell Street.

Mrs Hilton, who celebrated her 90th birthday last Wednesday, also lives in Farnworth while Walter lives in Daubhill.

She said: "I used to watch Colin play before he moved to Canada and we keep in touch.

"I phone him up when Owen is in the Bolton Evening News to tell him and he calls up the paper on the internet."

"I have followed Owen's career and saved all the newspaper cuttings while he was making his way in football.

"We always knew he was good but it was only when he went to Germany to play for Bayern Munich that we realised he was something special.

"It is very exciting that he is playing in the World Cup with England and all we hope is that he does well."