Football: Newcastle memories for McGarry

Mike McGarry.
Mike McGarry.
Watching Newcastle United play at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium next Tuesday will bring back fond - and not so fond - memories for Otago great Mike McGarry.

The last time Newcastle visited New Zealand, in 1984, it led to McGarry, then 18, being invited to Newcastle for a three-month trial.

The former long-serving All White laughs when he reflects on how it all unfolded.

''Paul Gascoigne, who was 17 or 18 at the time, was going to stay and play for Dunedin City in the national league,'' McGarry said.

''The manager, Jack Charlton, thought Gazza was a bit too much of a Jack the Lad to leave behind, so Peter Haddock, who was captain of the reserves, stayed and played nine games for us.

''When he went back to Newcastle, Peter recommended me to the club and they invited me to trial with them.''

McGarry enjoyed his time in the northeast of England, apart from the weather.

''It was Christmas time and the weather was horrible. There was snow on the ground virtually the whole time I was there, but the lads at the club were really good to me.

''I stayed in digs with one of the lads and Gazza would spend a couple of nights here and there. He seemed to stay in different places all the time rather than go home.

''It was a great experience, but for an 18-year-old boy from Dunedin, it could be a bit lonely.

''Newcastle suggested a couple of clubs I could go to. One of them was Carlisle, but I had just started my phys ed degree in Dunedin and decided to go home.''

McGarry now has a connection with the Wellington Phoenix through his 16-year-old son, James, who is in the club's academy at Scots College.

James moved to the Asia Pacific Football Academy in Christchurch before shifting to Wellington when the APFA relocated to form the Wellington Phoenix Academy.

''James has always wanted to make a career in football and moved to Christchurch to be part of an academy as a 13-year-old,'' McGarry said.

''I think he was a bit concerned about moving to Wellington but he loves the school he is now at.''

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