Maguire fired up for crack at his former club as Vardy has a dig

HARRY Maguire has been on the receiving end of Jamie Vardy’s teasing this week as Leicester prepare to host his former club Sheffield United in the FA Cup.

The Foxes team-mates both hail from Sheffield and it has emerged that Vardy likes to have a dig at his colleague over the defender’s football loyalties.

Both were raised as Wednesday fans but Maguire became more of a United supporter when coming up through the academy at Bramall Lane and then breaking into the senior side.

Ahead of tonight’s fifth round tie, Vardy has been reminding Maguire of his Wednesday roots.

“He always plays around saying that!” Maguire said.

“When I was a young boy, my dad supported Sheffield Wednesday and my mum supported Sheffield United.

“When I was around 10 years old, my dad used to take me to a couple of games but ever since I played for Sheffield United (I’ve supported them), I’ve played for them when I was 11 years old.

“I was a ball boy week in, week out at Bramall Lane from when I was 14 until 16 or 17. Then I broke in and made my debut. I definitely follow Sheffield United now. It’s a great club and I thank them a lot because they’ve done so much for my career.”

Maguire came through the ranks at Sheffield United before moving to Hull in 2014.

“Obviously it’s a big game for myself to come up against a team that I’ve played for,” said the centre-half, who joined Leicester in a £17million deal last summer.

“It’s a game that I wanted when the draw came along.

“Frankly, it was Hull or Sheffield United, they were both in the hat.”