‘Arsenal was great – but Everton can be even greater’

There was not a pause for thought or moment’s hesitation from Theo Walcott when he was asked whether he would celebrate scoring a goal against Arsenal. “Yeah, I would,” said Walcott, who will return to his former club with Everton tomorrow. “I think the Arsenal fans will respect that as well.

“Why can’t you enjoy scoring and celebrating a goal for your new team with your fans? They have travelled all that way, enjoy it, simple as that. Some players choose not to and that’s fine, but it’s just who I am. Celebrate with your mates and the fans, they are your fans now. I want to win.”

There is no sense of bitterness in

Walcott’s words, just a genuine excitement about the latest chapter in his career after moving to Everton in January.

Walcott is determined to look forwards, believing he can beat some of his own personal achievements at Everton, collect more winners’ medals and help his current club eventually surpass his old one.

But the move north, as a husband and father of two sons, has also put fresh perspective on the past and some of the lifechanging moments that meant Walcott’s will always be a career played in the spotlight.

Only this summer, as he and his wife, Mel, unpacked the contents of their lives, Walcott was reminded of a record that he believes may well go unbroken.

It was 10 years ago this month that Walcott, picked ahead of David Beckham by Fabio Capello, became the first teenager to score a hat-trick for England as he played against Croatia.

“Yeah, I saw that,” said Walcott, now aged 29. “It’s funny you mention that, because, moving house, I found the boots, some studs missing and a bit of turf on them.

“At first, I thought ‘What the hell are these?’ and then I realised they were the Croatia boots. That was mad, it’s gone like that [clicks fingers]. When I see pictures of it, I think ‘baby face and the sideburns’. Most of the players from back then have now retired as well.

“It’s incredible and I’m very proud of it. To be the youngest player to score a hat-trick for your country, that was just like … wow. Records are there to be beaten, but that’s going to be really hard for anyone to beat. I’ll keep the boots safe now.” Walcott had already been an England international for two years by the time he netted his Croatia treble after being picked for the 2006 World Cup – despite the fact he had not played a single Premier League game.

“I was very young then, 17, I was a kid,” said Walcott. “I had some good people around me though, which helped, and being with them for a period of time, Sol [Campbell] and Ash [Ashley Cole] for instance, they were the two who looked after me the whole trip, the whole World Cup.

“They made me part of everything and really helped me