Former Blackpool, Crystal Palace and Bolton midfielder reveals unlikely friendship with singer Ed Sheeran

The 37-year-old, who spent two loan spells with the Seasiders, struck up conversation with the ‘Shape of You’ singer at a small concert in Liverpool - long before Sheeran made it to the big time.

The two kept in touch and Danns, who last played for Blackpool in 2017, was invited to meet up with the Ipswich Town fan later down the line.

“I do love listening to Ed Sheeran, I think he’s an absolute superstar songwriter,” he told Talksport.

“Funny story actually...before he was ever big, I went to a gig in Liverpool where there was about 50 people there.

“Ed Sheeran was there playing his tracks. I walked outside halfway through and he’s stood there, so I started having a chat with him.

“I just told him how good his music was and I asked for his Twitter account so I could post his name for the Crystal Palace fans (where Danns was playing his football at the time).

“He said he appreciated it, so I literally tweeted it out to all my followers.

“About two months later, he sent me a message and invited me down to one of his gigs - another one he did in Liverpool but this time there was about 1,000 people there.

“A year later, he was doing festivals and you look at him now, he’s an absolute superstar. I just love the fact I met him before all of that.

“We literally just had a normal conversation standing outside this gig in Liverpool, just me and him.

“To see him go on and do what he’s done, it’s just absolutely mind-blowing, it’s amazing.”