Craig Cash on when Oasis drew a crowd of just three

Up to 80,000 fans are expected at each of Oasis's Manchester homecoming gigs.

But writer, actor and comedian Craig Cash remembers a time when one of their shows drew only two or three fans - and one of them was Liam and Noel Gallagher's brother, Paul.

One of the others at the Boardwalk gig to see Oasis support Northwich band The Cherrys was former Royle Family star Cash himself.

And he told the BBC that despite the small following, Oasis at that time "blew him away" and were clearly destined for stardom.

Cash said: "You knew from early on they definitely had something about them, so it was absolutely no surprise when they were huge.

"Liam was singing like a rock and roll star.

"He had that same swagger when nobody was watching him."

Cash said the show also offered a glimpse of Liam's fiery temperament.

He said Oasis were "going on a bit too long" ahead of The Cherrys coming on as the main act.

"They were great... but the Cherrys actually pulled the plug and switched [them] off.

"And then it all kicked off.

"Liam was offering them out from the stage and all sorts of chaos ensued.

"But they plugged them back in and [they] finished the set."

Cash, now 64, said he hit it off with Noel after the singer-songwriter did his first ever radio interview.

When their recording was interrupted they headed to The Pineapple Inn, close to KFM Radio's studio, and "bonded" over beers and their shared love of Manchester City.

"We ended up having a skinful and going back to finish the recording half cut," he said.

"The laughs we had... they were heady days and fun times."

It was Cash's love for Oasis that led to the B-side Half The World Away becoming the theme song for the BBC sitcom The Royle Family, in which Cash played Dave, the dopey, doting boyfriend of the late Caroline Aherne's Denise.

Cash said: "I just love that song. It really fit the mood. You're kind of stuck here but you love it all the same.

"Noel says now it feels like it's not even their song now, its ours," he said.

Oasis are set to play their first Manchester homecoming gig at Heaton Park, Manchester, on Friday.

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