Lioness Beth: My crush on Cheryl

England star was a huge fan of the Girls Aloud singer

- PATRICK HILL

LIONESS Beth Mead has revealed her first crush was on former England WAG Cheryl.

The football ace, 27, said she struggled to understand her feelings for the pop star as a teen.

But she admits the Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge was very "special" to her.

In her biography, Lioness: My Journey To Glory, Beth writes: "I probably should have realised that I was gay a little bit sooner than I did. I was a big Girls Aloud fan, but Cheryl was special to me.

"Back then, I thought she was just someone I looked up to, someone to be interested in outside of football. I liked her music, her clothes, her whole vibe.

"Was it a crush? Was it sexual awakening? Was it just a phase? It's hard to know.