There’s a picture that does the rounds every now and then on social media of Harry Kane. Aged 10, red hair. Arsenal shirt.
It’s usually accompanied by a caption deriding the striker’s love for Tottenham Hotspur, usually after he’s scored one of his many goals for the Lilywhite half of north London.
Back in 2004, an evidently Freddie Ljungberg inspired Kane – at least judging by the hair - was celebrating his then-club winning the Premier League title. Had they known then that he would play such a key role in their bitter rivals overtaking them as a dominant force in English football, it’s a safe bet that he wouldn’t have been welcome at that particular party.
The story of why the Gunners let him get away after two years has been lost in the midst of time. He was picked up from local club Ridgeway Rovers, the same team that birthed David Beckham.
For one reason or another, things did not work out for him at Arsenal and no sooner had he departed than he had attempted to get into the Spurs Academy, to be rejected at the first time of asking.
It wasn’t until he turned 11 that Tottenham took him on board. Thirteen years on, and that long association has not only made him a fan favourite – it’s already seen him talked about in the same bracket as players like Steven Gerrard or Francesco Totti.
If he sees out his career at Spurs – and there’s no real reason to believe he won’t, unless you’re inclined to believe the rumblings of the not-entirely-unbiased Diario Madridista and other such publications - he will surely become their record goalscorer. Jimmy Greaves has held it for 47 years with a tally of 266. Kane could have another 10 years at the top and he has already hit 112.
Sadly for Arsenal fans, things might have been so different had the two-time Golden Boot winner stayed on their books. Arsene Wenger has an unfortunate habit of revealing players he could or should have signed – Kylian Mbappe and Eden Hazard spring to mind - but this was one occasion when the Frenchman was not at fault.
Wenger has openly admitted he had no idea Kane had been an Arsenal player until he read about it in the papers. Le Professeur was unaware of the forward his colleagues had allowed to leave, at a time when managers of the senior team were unlikely to monitor players of 10-years-old that closely. Even now, Mauricio Pochettino is one of the few coaches who takes time out of his day to watch Spurs teams of all ages.
Just as Jamie Carragher is so often reminded of his boyhood association with Everton, it’s ultimately irrelevant. The Toffees can claim no part in his Champions League triumph, and Arsenal can’t take any credit for Kane’s footballing education.
There can be little doubt too, that as the Tottenham fans find themselves singing so regularly, he is one of their own. His family were supporters and Teddy Sheringham was his idol growing up.
Wenger’s mind will no doubt be on his own options up front this Saturday, as he battles with whether to start record signing Alexandre Lacazette. Pochettino has no such problems, as his number 10 has overcome a slight hamstring problem to be fit in time for a game that could have huge ramifications further down the line this season.
