THE speed of Steve McClaren's rise to the position of England manager has surprised most people, but it has not come as a shock to the man who kick-started his footballing career.

Peter Bibby was the head of PE at York's Nunthorpe School when a young McClaren first arrived through the gates in 1972.

From the moment the future England manager first kicked a ball, the now retired games master knew he had a potential sporting star on his hands.

"He was one of the best sportsmen I have ever seen," said Bibby, who worked at Nunthorpe from 1969 until 1988, by which time it had been merged with Mill Mount Grammar School to create Millthorpe Comprehensive.

"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 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 is the new England manager."

McClaren spent his childhood in the Groves area of York, just 250 yards from Bootham Crescent, York City's home ground.

His first football experience came with his cubs' side, St Thomas - the troop was based in a hut behind his childhood home in the shadow of the Rowntrees chocolate factory - and he also played for York City Boys before signing his first professional forms at Hull.

His ability was obvious from an early age, but Bibby does not feel McClaren was the most talented footballer he has observed at close quarters.

"When I went to school in Liverpool there was a young lad a couple of years older than me called Colin Harvey. He was an outstanding footballer and went on to play for Everton alongside the likes of Howard Kendall (Harvey also went on to manage the Blues).

"I would say he (McClaren) was not quite at his (Harvey's) level but I always felt he had a pretty good chance of making it and I am glad he did."

Andrew Smith, a childhood friend of McClaren's, played alongside him for the St Thomas cub team.

He is understandably proud that his former team-mate is now the most powerful manager in the country, but claims he could still teach him a thing or two about putting the ball in the net.

"Steve was always a good player, but he wasn't as good as me," said Smith, 44, of Monkton Road in York. "We once won a game 21-0 and we 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 around like lunatics.

"It's absolutely brilliant that he's the new England manager - it's a real shot in the arm for York."

George Rowe, a former referee, also saw a fledgling McClaren in action, and claims the new England boss was not averse to a spot of kidology when the situation demanded it.

"There is one thing I have never forgotten," he said. "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 great young footballer and it is no surprise to me that he is striving forward as a manager."