Steve Bloomer: 'I had no idea my grandfather was a football legend'

The grand-daughter of Derby County's record goalscorer said she did not realise how famous he was until she was an adult.

Steve Bloomer scored 332 goals in 525 games across two spells with the Rams, and is revered by modern fans.

Hetty San Giorgio was just six years old when he died in 1938.

The 90-year-old, who lives in South Africa, told BBC Radio Derby it was many years later until she learned of his legend.

Bloomer is the second-highest goalscorer in the top tier of English league football, having also played for Middlesbrough between his stints with the Rams.

He scored 28 times in 23 games for England, and Steve Bloomer's Watchin' remains a popular song at Pride Park on matchdays.

Ms San Giorgio never got to watch him play, and he died when she was very young, so when she later became aware of his fame aged about 22 she said she was shocked.

"You didn't speak of soccer [in the family], we didn't know," she said.

"At the Baseball Ground [Derby County's old stadium] there was a bust... we went to Chaddesden and there was another bust of him there.

"I didn't realise how famous he was."

Ms San Giorgio, who later married former Derby player Cecil Law, said she is proud to see her grandfather's memory continued in his famous song.

"I don't know all of the words, and I'm not quite sure of the melody, but it doesn't really matter," she said.

"He was a great, loyal, dedicated man - whatever he did he put his heart and soul into it."