Hands up if you've got the England job

Chiefs at the Football Association have decided to appoint the former Nunthorpe School pupil and are expected to announce their decision "imminently", The Press has learned.

McClaren, who was born in Fulford, has managed Middlesbrough Football Club for five years - and last week took the club to an unprecedented Uefa Cup final.

One of the brightest talents in football management, McClaren, who celebrates his 45th birthday today, was brought up in Rose Street, York, where neighbours remember him kicking a football along the kerb.

Now the man who represented Yorkshire Schools and York City Boys is set to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson in the "impossible job".

McClaren, who is already England's assistant manager, is the most successful boss in Middlesbrough Football Club's history, guiding the Teessiders to victory in the Carling Cup in 2004 - Boro's first trophy in 128 years. The Press understands that McClaren will be unveiled in the next 48-hours and that negotiations have begun between the FA and Middlesbrough over compensation.

McClaren shot to prominence when he was appointed as Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United in 1999. He started his football career as an apprentice at Hull City in 1977 before moving to Derby County in August 1985.

There followed spells at Lincoln City, Bristol City and Oxford United, where he retired to join the coaching staff. McClaren returned to Derby as coach in 1995 before joining Manchester United.

He was heavily courted by several Premiership outfits but joined Middlesbrough in the summer of 2001. Married to Kathryn, McClaren has three sons - Joe, 17, Sam, 13, and Josh, nine.

His father, Brian, who still lives in York, today said he was unable to comment on the speculation surrounding his son and added he was looking forward to travelling to watch the Uefa Cup final. A spokesman for Middlesbrough Football Club reiterated that McClaren was still the Boro boss and said the club was preparing for that final, in Eindhoven, against Seville in seven days time.

In an interview with his old school, McClaren said he chose Nunthorpe School because of its "sporting excellence". At 15, he was a junior squash champion and, according to his PE teacher, Peter Bibby, was always destined for great things.

"He was a naturally gifted sportsman, a great rugby and football player and a really cracking lad. He never put a foot wrong. I think he will surprise a few people as England manager," he said.

Neighbours and childhood friends of McClaren also relieved their memories of him as a youngster - and wished him success in his new role.

York City managing director Jason McGill said: "Everyone associated with York City Football Club would be delighted with the appointment of Steve McClaren as the new manager of the England football team. It would be particularly good news because Steve was born in York and started his career in representative football for York Schoolboys.

"He was also an outstanding supporter of the Save City campaign and a distinguished speaker at the inaugural meeting which launched the York City Supporters Trust."

'We all knew he'd succeed'

STEVE McClaren's childhood friends and neighbours today relived their fond memories of growing up with him.

Pensioner Joyce Willey lived next door to the McClaren family in Rose Street, off Haxby Road, during the 1960s before they moved to nearby Vyner Street. She said Steve lived there with his parents Margaret and Brian, sisters Susan and Jane and brother Tony.

"They were a very pleasant family and really close," said Joyce, who still lives in the same terraced house.

"Steve was a bit of an athlete in those days and always playing football.

"He never had a ball out of his hands. Steve has done very well and I know his dad encouraged him a lot."

Andrew Smith, 44, of Monkton Road, was a neighbour and childhood friend of Steve McClaren and played up front alongside him for the local St Thomas's Cub Scouts football team.

"Steve was always a good player but not as good as me!" he said.

"We once won a game 21-0 and we both scored eight goals each and were arguing about who had got the most.

"I remember he was the only lad in the street with a coloured telly and I went round to watch the 1971 FA Cup final. We were jumping about like lunatics.

"It's absolutely brilliant if he is the new England manager. It's a shot in the arm for York."

Kenny Ditchburn, 65, of Acomb, lived a few doors down from the Middlesbrough manager when he lived in Rose Street.

"I used to take him on to the nearby football pitch off Haxby Road with a few of the other lads from the street," he said.

"He was football crazy and too good for us all even at that age.

"Steve is a superb appointment for England and a wonderful manager."

Maureen Stannard, 65, of Huntington, recently organised a Rose Street reunion and was sent a letter from Steve McClaren apologising he could not make it. It was so nice of him to send that," she said.

"He was a football genius as a young lad. I remember him playing all the time on the nearby field. Steve will be a great England manager."

One of best at sport

"HE was one of the best sportsmen I have ever seen."

The words of Peter Bibby - the head of PE at York's Nunthorpe School when a young Steve McClaren took his first steps to football glory.

Mr Bibby, who worked at the school for 19 years between 1969 and 1988 and is now retired, said he always remembered McClaren as an outstanding sportsman and said he was a popular lad.

"He played in all the sports teams, I think he was captain of a few of them. He was always going to do quite well academically if he didn't go down to a football club," he said.

"He really did have a wealth of talent. He was not particularly tall and that was probably the only thing against him, but he had naturally good movement. He was the type of lad who led by example. He was modest and I always knew he was destined for great things.

"Whenever he scored a goal he never made a song and dance about it.

"He would turn away and get on with it. I always knew he was going to be a good boss. It doesn't surprise me that he will be the new England manager. He has always had great strength of character and he never let you down.

Meanwhile, former 1970s York referee George Rowe saw the fledgling McClaren talent several times said he was always sure this "little ginger kid was going to go places".

He said: "There is one of those things I have never forgotten. He turned out for Cliftonville under-17s against Easingwold and a couple of times in the first half he went down in the box trying to get a penalty. I was close enough not to give anything.

"Anyway, ten minutes into the second half and he's in the box, pulls back a leg to shoot and gets it taken away from him.

"I give the penalty and Steve looks up at me and says 'I didn't have to dive this time did I, George?

"He was a great young footballer and it is no surprise to me that he is striving forward as a manager."

The rise and rise of SuperMac

Born: Fulford, York, May 3, 1961.

Educated: Nunthorpe School, York.

1977 - taken on as an apprentice at Hull City.

1979 - becomes a professional.

July 1985 - moves to Derby County for £70,000.

February 1987 - on loan to Lincoln City.

February 1988 - signed up by Bristol City for £50,000.

August 1989 - joins Oxford United retiring to join coaching staff.

1995 - joins Derby County as coach under Jim Smith.

February 1989 - becomes assistant manager at Manchester United.

December 2000 - appointed No 2 to England caretaker-manager Peter Taylor.

Keeps the position when Sven Goran Eriksson is appointed.

June 2001 - takes over as Middlesbrough manager following the departure of Bryan Robson.

August 2001 - loses first four games in charge of the Boro but rallies and eventually takes the club to the FA Cup semi-final, where they lose to Arsenal

February 2002 - turns up and speaks at the launch of the York City Supporters' Trust

February 2004 - leads Middlesbrough to the first trophy in the club's 128-year history with a 2-1 win over Bolton in the Carling Cup final at Cardiff.

May 2005 - leads Boro to seventh in the Premiership and a place in the UEFA Cup

April 2006 - guides Boro to the UEFA Cup final

Updated: 09:47 Wednesday, May 03, 2006