In an alternative football reality, Tottenham striker Kyle Walker has just moved to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts after converting another precise pass from their playmaker Danny Rose.

Had Spurs’ flying full-backs followed the path they embarked on in their teens, they might have been doing the job of Harry Kane, Dele Alli or Christian Eriksen today. Instead, they dominate the flanks, inspiring the 2-0 win that allowed Tottenham to end Chelsea’s 13-match winning streak last week.

Rose’s potential was identified at an early age and at 15, he was promoted to Leeds’ Under-18 side, playing in the No10 role with Fabian Delph, now of Manchester City, in central midfield. He moved to Spurs in 2007 but did not become a key man until 2014-15.

Walker had a difficult route, too, as he fought to convince some senior coaches at Sheffield United that he was worth their perseverance. There are no doubts anymore. Both 26, Walker is the elder by 35 days and the pair are Tottenham’s longest-serving players.

Thanks partly to the improved training regime implemented by Mauricio Pochettino when he became manager in 2014, Rose and Walker are surely the most effective full-back pairing in the English game.

Having made progress the hard way, the pair are now close to their peak — fit, focused and ferociously ambitious.

Walker became a defender almost by chance. During an Under-14 game for Sheffield United at Nottingham Forest, an injury to the right-back persuaded Sam Saif, a United coach, to try Walker in his position.

Though clearly more suited to that role, Walker did not make instant strides. One man did believe in him, however, Ron Reid, academy director at Bramall Lane until 2010. “At times, Kyle was frustrated,” Reid told Standard Sport. “He wasn’t playing. He got a professional contract after his scholarship but there were some at the club who didn’t fancy him. At 17 or 18, he was drifting and his interest was beginning to waver — but we managed to build it up again.

The Tottenham stars who signed new contracts | 2016/17 16 show all The Tottenham stars who signed new contracts | 2016/17 1/16 The Tottenham stars who signed new contracts in the 2016-17 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 2/16 Kyle Walker-Peters Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 3/16 Ben Davies Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 4/16 Danny Rose Rex Features 5/16 Kyle Walker Getty Images 6/16 Dele Alli Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 7/16 Harry Kane Getty Images 8/16 Hugo Lloris Getty Images 9/16 Jan Vertonghen Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 10/16 Christian Eriksen Getty Images 11/16 Eric Dier Julian Finney/Getty Images 12/16 Harry Winks Getty Images 13/16 Tom Carroll Michael Regan/Getty Images 14/16 Cameron Carter-Vickers Getty Images 15/16 Michel Vorm Chris Brunskill/Getty Images 16/16 Mauricio Pochettino Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 1/16 The Tottenham stars who signed new contracts in the 2016-17 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 2/16 Kyle Walker-Peters Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 3/16 Ben Davies Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 4/16 Danny Rose Rex Features 5/16 Kyle Walker Getty Images 6/16 Dele Alli Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 7/16 Harry Kane Getty Images 8/16 Hugo Lloris Getty Images 9/16 Jan Vertonghen Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 10/16 Christian Eriksen Getty Images 11/16 Eric Dier Julian Finney/Getty Images 12/16 Harry Winks Getty Images 13/16 Tom Carroll Michael Regan/Getty Images 14/16 Cameron Carter-Vickers Getty Images 15/16 Michel Vorm Chris Brunskill/Getty Images 16/16 Mauricio Pochettino Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

“Even though he was an over-age player, I got him involved in Under-18 games, because he needed to play.

“I never lost faith. Why? By then, he had become a bigger, stronger lad, he had pace and he was technically sound. He had a great attitude, too, and a superb family.

“I remember one game at Crewe, for our Under-18s. Kyle was absolutely brilliant and Noel Blake, who was in charge of England Under-19s, approached me to ask who he was. From then he never looked back. When he made his first-team debut in January 2009, at Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, it was one of the best debuts I’d ever seen.”

A Sheffield boy to his core, Walker still follows his first club closely but has also settled into London life, with family and friends in the capital.

Rose is from Doncaster, about 20 miles from Sheffield, and keeps in touch with many of the friends he made in the town during his teens. Of the two, Walker is the extrovert, the dressing-room joker, the main character in a memorable Halloween feature on Spurs’ official YouTube channel.

Rose is quieter, more serious, but no less determined. Both watch football regularly during time off, studying Juventus’ Dani Alves and Bayern Munich’s Philipp Lahm (Walker), and Real Madrid’s Marcelo (Rose) to try to improve.

In Rose’s uncle, Mark Rankine, who played for Wolves, Preston and Sheffield United, they share a mentor. “They are both in the full-backs’ union now,” smiles Rankine.

“They drive each other on. If Kyle is playing well, Danny looks across from the other side of the pitch and wants to match him.”

During their holidays after Euro 2016, both found time daily to go running and work in the gym. They are very happy at Tottenham and signed new contracts last year, but their form has not gone unnoticed, with Europe’s leading clubs, notably Paris St Germain, making regular checks on their performances.

“Danny was always very ‘football-bright’ — and very tough,” says Neil Thompson, academy manager at Leeds during Rose’s time there. “You never had to explain anything to him more than once or twice.

“He would play against much older boys but it wouldn’t worry him. It’s surprised me that he’s ended up at left-back after playing as a midfielder when he was younger, but it just shows the confidence he has in his ability that he could adapt.”

The confidence was justified. Rose and Walker are charging to the top and look to be taking their team with them.