THE BIG INTERVIEW: Harry Maguire on his school days, Sheffield United, his World Cup aspirations and THAT England bin bag

Plonking himself down in the staff room of his old primary school, it doesn't feel like Harry Maguire has been away.
The Star joined England international Harry Maguire on his return to schoolThe Star joined England international Harry Maguire on his return to school
The Star joined England international Harry Maguire on his return to school

He now rubs shoulders with England football stars and plies his trade at Premier League Leicester City but he’s not too big time for a telling off after he said he’s been to see to his ‘old’ teachers.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School in Spinkhill near Sheffield was one of the places where he began his footballing journey.

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Back to face a question and answer session at pretty much every class in the school, he even stopped to talk to the lolly pop lady who’s still there.

But this wasn’t official Leicester City business, he came on his own accord.

He didn’t avoid the England ‘bin bag’ situation and jokingly revealed how it came about.

He made his professional football debut aged 17 for Sheffield United against Cardiff City. His task - to mark the then fiery Welsh international Craig Bellamy.

A fan from the stands and now a player on the pitch. Harry, with brothers Joe, Laurence and friends in Saint-Etienne during Euro 2016A fan from the stands and now a player on the pitch. Harry, with brothers Joe, Laurence and friends in Saint-Etienne during Euro 2016
A fan from the stands and now a player on the pitch. Harry, with brothers Joe, Laurence and friends in Saint-Etienne during Euro 2016
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From flying into tackles against his two brothers on Plumbley Hall Road fields in Mosborough to stepping out for England. His rise to be within a touching distance of a plane seat to Russia is nothing short of remarkable.

Casting back to the late 90s, Maguire would often come home with his elastic tie askew and grey school trousers covered in mud. He’d be straight back in the garden or the ‘green’ outside his childhood home in Chapel Street in Mosborough with a ball at his feet.

The school playground and the ‘May Day’ tournaments in which brother Joe (a year older and semi-professional with Buxton) played alongside him, still hold a special place in his heart.

“Those were good days, people really cheering you on,” Harry recalls with a smile.

Harry in action for Sheffield UnitedHarry in action for Sheffield United
Harry in action for Sheffield United
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“I’ll always remember those tournaments, they were so much fun. Winning it was even better.”

Much has been said of the Maguire brothers in the past. Harry acknowledges Laurence, 20, playing professional at Chesterfield and Joe, 26, who plays in the non-league, have both shaped his career in their own way. They’re incredibly close and his siblings, family and friends keep him grounded.

A quick stint at Brunsmeer Athletic led him to Barnsley and then Sheffield United. He still holds a fierce allegiance to the Blades for shaping his career and gives special mention to Neill Collins and Chris Morgan.

“As a young lad being in that environment, it’s always tough to stand out and make your mark but I’ll always be very grateful to Sheffield United for giving me that chance.

Harry (back row second from the left) with brother Joe during the one of Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School May Day football tournaments.Harry (back row second from the left) with brother Joe during the one of Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School May Day football tournaments.
Harry (back row second from the left) with brother Joe during the one of Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School May Day football tournaments.
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“I made some mistakes but they kept the faith in me - a lot of managers now might not be so forgiving and go for someone with more experience.

“I’ve played with some fantastic and experienced players but Neill Collins and Chris Morgan really helped me in the younger days and when I first broke in they were a huge inspiration to me. It’s another reason when I come back to school - It’s good to give something back to be that inspiration if I can.”

He left the Blades at 21 and Maguire admits it would’ve been very different if they got past Huddersfield in the Play-Off Final. Ironically, he would go on to taste victory at Wembley with Hull City at the expense of Sheffield Wednesday - the team he supported as a boy.

“It was so hard to leave Sheffield United - It’s all I’d ever known. I was loved by all the fans and I’ll never forget their backing.

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“Ideally, it would’ve been very different but Hull came calling in a higher league and I wanted to challenge myself and in terms of my career it was the right decision.”

But his time at Hull wasn’t easy. In and out of the side playing second fiddle to Michael Dawson and Curtis Davies some on social media doubted if he’d made the right choice.

Maguire is enjoying life at Leicester City and revealed to The Star how the move came around. Picture: Nick Potts/PAMaguire is enjoying life at Leicester City and revealed to The Star how the move came around. Picture: Nick Potts/PA
Maguire is enjoying life at Leicester City and revealed to The Star how the move came around. Picture: Nick Potts/PA

A loan move to Wigan helped him get game time and the season Hull were relegated from the Premier League, he really took his chance and was voted both fans and player’s player of the year.

Maguire said felt like he did enough to stay in the Premier League while at Hull and Leicester was the perfect fit. He paid tribute to now former boss Craig Shakespeare.

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Tottenham and Stoke were seriously interested but the Foxes were the ones that bent over backwards to bring him in. The move also meant he could stay in Sheffield, something which he wanted to do for the moment.

“There was a few clubs in the Premier League interested and Shakesy (Shakespeare) said I was their number one target which made me feel really wanted,” Maguire said.

“I’ve also been used to playing week in, week out and I felt a move to Leicester would give me a great chance of playing a lot if I played well.

“The lads are great and I settled in really well and they made it really easy for me to transition.”

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Maguire still has a strong link with the Blades and was spotted on the Sky Sports cameras in the away end at Hillsborough during the Steel City derby to which he laughs.

But he’s seriously impressed on how the Blades are doing this season.

“Chris Wilder has to take a lot of the plaudits for it - I don’t know what he’s been doing different down there. I still know a few lads and there’s a great buzz and team spirit doing things together on and off the field.

“If they carry on like they are they’ve got every chance of finishing at the top end of the table.”

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Maguire nods to his cousin Sophie who works in the school’s reception class as he begins to chat away abouts his England aspirations.

It was only 18 months ago he was cheering England on in St Etienne with friends as a fan.

His international call-up has been the cherry on the cake for Maguire to round off a fantastic year. Walking out singing the national anthem away at Lithuania is something he’ll remember for the rest of his life.

But he has a quirky story to tell and his brother Joe will not forget it in a hurry.

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“I found out afterwards he turned up late and missed the national anthem. Something went wrong at his connection and had to get on another plane. It doesn’t surprise me with him. But a lot of my family made a lot of effort to see me play that night and I’m very grateful.

“It wouldn’t have matter if they’d have missed one or two flights, there was no way they’d miss it.”

He’s now made three caps but the big talking point was ‘bin bag gate’ when he was videoed by the England media team carrying a refuse sack into the training base.

“I was the new lad and I asked about what we did with boots and shin pads that we have to bring because everyone brings them in differently.

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“I asked Vards (Jamie Vardy) what he brought his boots in and he was the one who said a bin bag so I took his word. Luckily enough for him he was about three metres behind me and snuck past.

“There was about 10 of us who walked in with a bin bag it’s just I was the one who got caught on camera and everyone else got off lightly!

“Walking in for the first time was really nerve racking - you get the butterflies but it helped because I knew Vards, Kyle Walker growing up at Sheffield United, playing against John Stones at academy level and Livermore I knew at Hull which helped.

The conversation takes a more serious turn and Maguire said he’s gunning for that seat on the plane to Moscow.

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“To be involved at a world cup would be the pinnacle of anyone’s career it would be such an honour to go and what I need to do now is play well for Leicester and I’m I’ll see where it takes me because it’s out of my hands but I’m in with a shout.”

Finishing up before heading home, one of the school PE teachers comes over to say thank you.

He asks if the school could name a football tournament cup after him in the summer next year. He’s politely reminded he could very well be in Russia with England.

Maybe the year after.