The man behind the man that is Canaries boss Alex Neil has been revealed – by his mum.

Anne-Marie – known as Debs – and husband Davie McMillan have become Canaries fans since Neil headed south from Hamilton in January, and were at Wembley for the historic Championship final triumph over Middlesbrough.

And she revealed that the winning characteristic has been around ever since he was a young boy.

'If you beat him at a computer game you'd better set aside half a day because he wouldn't let you away until he beat you,' she told the Daily Record in Scotland.

'But he was always a great kid and never gave us any trouble. He would hang around with an older crowd and play football with them, but he was just so focused on things and he never drank or smoked.

'When he comes home, he still runs around with the same pals and he is the type who won't change no matter what league he is in.'

Ann-Marie also revealed how life in Norfolk would change again for Neil, with his wife and two young children heading south to join him.

'The toughest thing for Alex was leaving the family at home while he got through the first few months,' his mother said.

'The job was so intense from the start and they didn't want to pull Sienna out of St Pat's Primary School mid-term, so they decided for a few months that he would focus on the job and they would get the family properly together in the summer, so Sienna could start school down there.

'He was on the phone and then the video calls, which were a big improvement, and I think the sacrifice they made for a few months was well justified.'