Harry Maguire: The whirlwind assault case of the Manchester United captain
In the space of seven days since, HMaguire has been arrested, tried, found guilty of assault and bribery and launched an appeal. It's been a whirlwind.
“Last night hurt…” Harry Maguire told the football world on August 17.
Manchester United had been eliminated from the Europa League by Sevilla the previous evening, ending their hopes of lifting any silverware for the 2019/20 season.
“Time to go away, reflect, recover,” Maguire added, promising readers that his team would return stronger than ever.
Less than 96 hours later, the Old Trafford captain was being thrown into cells by Greek police.
On the night of 21 August, Maguire, his brother and a friend became embroiled in a drunken brawl with another group whilst holidaying on the island of Mykonos.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the space of seven days, Maguire has since been arrested, tried, found guilty of assault and bribery, and launched an appeal to maintain his innocence.
It’s been a whirlwind week that’s stunned the football world.
ADVERTISEMENT
Last night hurt… Time to go away, reflect, recover and be ready to come back stronger next season. Your support throughout the season has been amazing, we hope to see a full Old Trafford ASAP. We’re in this together 🔴 #MUFCpic.twitter.com/mR6OXDzFqy
The upshot, so far, has been a 21-month prison sentence for Maguire, suspended for three years, and an ignominious removal from the England squad (which will surely be temporary).
But the case has also tattered the ‘model pro’ reputation Maguire was given by some media outlets.
Footballers misbehaving abroad is nothing new. But for some, the biggest shock of the whole ordeal is the fact that it’s wholesome character Maguire at the centre of it all.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are two very different sides to the story of what happened that night – and the United star maintains he and his family are “victims”.
On Thursday 21 August, plain clothes officers rushed in to halt a brawl which had broken out between two groups at a bar in Mykonos.
The confrontation was taking place between Maguire, his brother and their friend and some “Albanian” men.
Maguire’s group said they had approached two males after spotting them “inject” Maguire’s sister, Daisy, with a “rape drug”.
Daisy’s eyes were said to be “rolling back”, and Maguire bundled her into a minivan so she could return to the villa or a local hospital.
ADVERTISEMENT
An argument then ensued, but with no CCTV footage of the incident, it’s quickly become a classic case of ‘he-said, she-said’.
According to Greek police, Maguire started “pushing and hitting three police officers” when they arrived on the scene.
Maguire was arrested and accused of pushing one officer to the ground as he tried to resist (according to police).
After arriving at the station, a group of men nearby allegedly told Maguire “Your career is over”, before kicking his legs.
Police have offered a different version of events, even stating that Maguire attempted to bribe them by saying: “Please, let me go, I am very rich, I can pay, I am the leader of Manchester United.”
ADVERTISEMENT
In court, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult.
Still, the £80m defender maintains the accusations are wrong, and his legal team have since launched an appeal.
A Manchester United statement said: “Harry has no criminal record and is once again presumed innocent until proven guilty. Accordingly, he is not subject to any international travel restrictions.”
Maguire himself has so far refused to speak to the press about the incident, and has still not posted on Twitter since expressing his pain at United’s European exit.
Little did he know that this period of reflection would go so horribly wrong.
Sport
Manchester Storm’s record-breaking return to AO Arena goes down a storm with fans
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Storm have made their grand return to the AO Arena, after more than two decades away from their former home.
And it appears the ice hockey craze (which may have been spurred on by a certain Heated Rivalry) is here to stay, with record-breaking numbers piling into the venue for Sunday’s match against Sheffield Steelers.
The AO Arena has now shared that a record crowd of 11,000 fans attended the long-awaited Manchester Storm homecoming last week.
The action has gone down a storm with fans, with plenty of chatter on social media (and videos of a certain fight) doing the rounds.
Manchester Storm’s homecoming has now smashed the record for an Elite Hockey pre-season fixture, with fans travelling from across Manchester and beyond.
As the team enters this new era, bidding farewell to the ‘Storm Shelter’ in Altrincham that’s been their home for a decade, demand for tickets is continuing to grow.
This is the first time fans have been able to see the club on the ice at the AO Arena since 2004, and last weekend they thrilled supporters with a 5-5 draw agains the Steelers.
Manchester Storm is now set to bring approximately 35 games to the city centre each year, providing a regular programme of major sporting events for Manchester and its visitors.
It also brings elite-level hockey back to one of Europe’s largest indoor sporting arenas.
Gemma Vaughan, General Manager at the AO Arena says, “Tonight is a hugely significant moment for Manchester.
“To welcome Manchester Storm back to their former home after more than 20 years, and to do so in front of a record Elite Hockey League crowd, is incredibly special.
“The response from supporters has demonstrated the strength of Manchester’s passion for ice hockey and the demand for world-class sport in the city. We’re proud to be able to provide a home for the Storm as they begin this exciting new chapter.”
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
The Manc -
27th August 2020 
