HAVE you ever wondered why Mark Hughes is known as 'Sparky' in football circles?

Well, the Blackburn boss revealed the answer to that, and a host of other questions about his professional career, during a special question and answer session at Ewood Park earlier this week.

Hughes was a youngster growing up in Wrexham when he and several friends decided to name themselves after comics.

And, as Hughes was one of the more robust members of the group, he got christened 'Sparky' after a comic which regaled readers with stories about a bulldog bearing the same name!

"I think it was my mate Beano who came up with that one," quipped the Welshman.

Hughes was also asked 'what was his favourite TV programme?' to which he surprisingly responded 'The X-Factor'.

He also revealed his childhood hero was a whispy winger named Bobby Shinton, who used to play for Wrexham in the 1970s.

And when asked which current Rovers player would be the first one to make his five-a-side team, Hughes replied without hesitation: 'The Axe!'

More than 400 season ticket holders attended the event on Thursday and a good night was had by all.