THE LIFE of David Beckham is a well-trodden path known all over the world, but it started out somewhere very special – Chingford.

As special guest on the 75th anniversary edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Beckham, 41, talks frankly about his hometown and dedicated family.

Speaking to Kirsty Young in the show broadcast on Sunday, he candidly opens up among his chosen tracks including the Rolling Stones’ Wild Horses and Ella Fitzgerald singing Every Time We Say Goodbye.

The middle child between two sisters, Beckham was born in Leytonstone in May 1975, moving Chingford aged three.

Asked about his earliest memory, he remembers his mum taking him to football every weekend, while his football-obsessed worked tirelessly as a gas fitter.

He added: “My dad, day after day, week after week, we use to go over to the park near our house in Chingford.

“There was a goal over there with no nets and he would say ‘hit the cross bar’ and we would do it for hours and hours.

“That’s one thing my parents have given me, that work ethic.”

Beckham’s father, who had trials at Leyton Orient but was unfortunately “always offside”, gave up his dreams as soon as his son started his.

He added: “He gave it up for me.”

Beckham admits it was “tough love” with his father who pushed him to perfect his iconic ball striking ability.

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David Beckham and Kirsty Young

He says in reflection “it was how I needed to be taught”, echoing his turbulent but extremely successful relationship with future manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Chingford’s Ridgeway Rovers became his youth team, playing every Sunday morning while his father studied every minute of his son’s performance.

While his father worked 14-hour days his mother would focus on her children, spending her evenings cutting elderly ladies' hair well into the night.

At 10-years-old a key moment which would shape his future plays out in his living room in Chingford.

Beckham said: “I remember being sat at home in Chingford watching Blue Peter on the telly when advert for Bobby Charlton’s soccer school came on.

“Bobby was such a hero for my dad, it was his favourite player, his favourite team, so my dad was up for it the moment I said I wanted to go.”

At an enormous expense and sacrifice his parents paid for his lodgings while he played in the competition.

Returning to play it again the following year he won the competition outright aged 11.

After his success up north a Manchester United scout came down to Chingford in secret to watch him play, and the rest, as they say, is history.