Manchester United and England star Harry Maguire has revealed that football legend, David Beckham, reached out to offer his support following abuse from fans, having called him after England’s game against Scotlandback in September.
The Premier League defender — whose career has been taken somewhat of a wobble, to say the least, over the past couple of years — has been subject to a torrent of abuse and jeering not only from opposition fans but sometimes his own supporters when representing both club and country.
Perhaps the worst instance of this was the Scotland match mentioned above, in which Maguire was hounded by tens of thousands of fans inside Hampden Park which, after giving away an own goal, only got worse as the game went on.
Sadly, it was by no means Maguire‘s first rodeo, having been booed by the England support this time last year and by travelling United fans on their most recent pre-season tour. With that in mind, knowing all too well what the kind of abuse is like, Beckham was kind enough to give him a ring.
Harry Maguire has revealed how David Beckham reached out to help him deal with some of the fan abuse he's received 🤝 pic.twitter.com/n3a44idKNE
Speaking to reporters ahead of England‘s friendly against Australia on Friday, 12 October, Maguire explained how Beckham called him “after the Scotland game”, adding that it was a “really nice” gesture and one that was much appreciated after a difficult moment for him.
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Detailing how Becks “reminded [him] of the career [he’s] had to date and the big moments in [his] career” that he’s produced and played a part in — i.e. winning a first trophy with Man United and making it a World Cup final with the national team — it’s clear that the conversation was an uplifting one.
“When you’re going through tough moments in your career”, the 30-year-old continues, “you’ve got to think on past experiences, memories; where you’ve gone in your career and what you’ve been through.
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“Every career is so up and down, especially when you reach what I’ve reached in terms of being the captain of the biggest club in the world for three and a half years. [Beckham’s] been in that position and he knows what it’s like”. Despite now being one of the most beloved players ever, his new Netflix documentary has reminded people just how much abuse he went through — and plenty more.
Following being sent off in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina after kicking out Diego Simeone, the 48-year-old famously had effigies of his likeness hanging in the street, was booed and tormented at nearly every game for a whole season and some even threatened to kidnap his first child, Brooklyn.
Truly sickening stuff.
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As Maguire went on to add: “Obviously, I watched the documentary and I couldn’t believe how much he went through at the time. In the documentary, Gary Neville speaks about how resilient he is as a person and I think he’s been a huge role model for many footballers growing up, especially in my era”.
Speaking after the abuse during the England vs Scotland game, Maguire’s mother also issued a statement saying that her son’s treatment has “gone far beyond football” and that on a humanistic level, let alone for a concerned parent, it has been “heartbreaking” to sit and watch him suffer.
Following such chronic abuse and the subsequent lack of confidence and/or convincing performances, Maguire was ultimately stripped of the Man United captaincy this season and has had to settle for being a squad player for the majority of games.
Ruben Amorim reacts as Manchester United are booed off after Malaysia friendly
Danny Jones
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has delivered a fairly brutal response after his club were booed off by supporters during a friendly in Malaysia.
The Red Devils recently embarked on a post-season tour following a calamitous 2024/25 campaign, both domestically and continentally, with that limp loss in the Europa League final, but have already resumed what has become alarmingly normal service with yet another defeat.
Finding themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against ASEAN All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur – a squad comprised of various talents from around the region who had never played together before and were only founded as an actual team back in 2014 – it was all far from clean slates and fresh starts.
In the wake of the shock result, Man United were booed off by the Malaysian and other international fans inside the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which saw more than 70,000 in attendance.
It’s the end and that’s it. Man United got boo’ed by the fans after the final whistle.
They got beaten by non-full team Asean All-Star who just trained together as a group few days before the match. pic.twitter.com/fBxnMiZPN8
For context, the ASEAN All-Stars had only trained together for the first time just days before the game itself, but the de facto exhibition outfit still managed to break the deadlock in the 71st minute against a United side that rarely looked like scoring.
All that being said, Amorim had some choice words for his own players in his post-match duties after their first post-season tour fixture, insisting that while he always remains accountable, those out on the pitch perhaps received somewhat of a deserved reckoning too.
He began by stating, “I’m always guilty of the performance of the team, no matter what. [I have been responsible] since the first day”, but went on to argue: “The boos from the fans, I think it something that we need, maybe.”
Citing that the Old Trafford faithful and die-hard away fans have always been loyal and supportive despite frustration in the league, he suggested that “maybe they will change the way they behave” following this latest reality check.
Despite adding that he has seen reasons for optimism in performances against Man City and Liverpool, for instance, where he felt he saw “belief” and seeds of what’s to come, he’s made very few excuses for the poor displays up to now.
United face the Hong Kong national team in their next friendly on Friday, 29 May, and it’s fair to say anything less than a win would be beyond bad for the predictably unpredictable Premier League club.
You can see his full post-match press conference down below.
Featured Images — Manchester United (screenshot via YouTube)/Edward Kuruvilla (via X)
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Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Danny Jones -
12th October 2023 
