Danny McGuire ready to do it one last time – avoiding relegation with Hull KR
‘DANNY from East End Park’ is ready to do it for one last time, desperate to avoid one word from his playing record – relegation.
After 470 games for Leeds, Hull KR, England Under-21s, England A, England and Great Britain over 18 years, Danny McGuire calls it quits on Friday.
With eight Super League titles, three World Club Challenges, three League Leaders; Shields and two Challenge Cup triumphs to his name, the veteran half-back could be forgiven for having an air of superiority.
But he is the same lad from a 'tough' area of Leeds who grew up wanting to be like Garry Schofield – now kids want to be like Danny McGuire.
He said: “I’m just Danny from East End Park. No-one there sees you any differently and that’s the way it should be.
“If you get above your station, the people there let you know.
“East End Park is a tough area and life there was interesting but it was a good place to grow up. All my family still live there and there are a lot of good people there.
“I’ve not done bad, have I? To have had the run I’ve had is pretty special and I’ve loved every second.
“Schoey was my hero. Now I’ve got a good relationship with him. I watched him as a kid and he’s still there with advice for me.
“If kids want me to pass on some advice, I’d be happy to do that. It’s lovely when I meet kids who say I’m their hero and a bit humbling. I don’t think I’m one, though.
“I’m fortunate to have been involved in a great sport with great people and playing for your country is always special.
“For a lad from east Leeds, to play for Great Britain, go on a Lions tour and play in Australia is stuff you’d never have dreamed of.”
McGuire, 36, may spend his last days as a player with a calculator as Super League’s survival race heads into a crazy final day.
First the simple bit. If London win at Wakefield on Friday, they stay up, meaning Rovers must get something from Salford to survive. If that happens, Huddersfield go down.
If the Giants also beat Catalans then Wakefield head to the Championship. London, Hull KR and Huddersfield could all lose and Rovers drop if they are beaten by 55 more points than London!
And having been there, seen it and done it several times, McGuire – whose try in his last home game seemingly saved his side until Jay Pitts’ late score snatched a 20-16 success – knows anything can happen.
He has had fairytale endings before. In 2015, he was part of a Leeds side that sent Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield and Kylie Leuluai into retirement with a treble.
His final game for his hometown club saw him score two tries and kick two drop goals to help the Rhinos to the 2017 title.
Above anything, his 12 appearances for Great Britain and seven for England, stand above any trophy he has won – all those pale into insignificance compared to the job in hand.
McGuire, who will become Hull KR’s Head of Recruitment, added: “Sometimes things don’t work out how you want them to. I’ve had a few fairytale endings but it wasn’t to be on Friday.
“Now we’ve got to regroup but it’s still in our hands. This will hurt for a few days but we’ve got to roll our sleeves up.
“If we had got the win, it would’ve been really nice to finish like that but sport’s tough sometimes. Looking back is something you can do when you’ve got your slippers on, at the minute I’m still involved in it.
“Everyone would agree that Rovers is a Super League club but we’ve got to perform on the field.”
