STEVE Harmison would have preferred to have played up front for Newcastle United than lead England’s attack in a triumphant Ashes series, as he only concentrated on cricket when he realised he was not good enough to make it as a footballer.

Harmison was spotted by Durham head coach Geoff Cook when he played for Northumberland against Durham’s Under-16 team and signed for the county’s academy a few weeks later. But the 32-year-old had also been at Newcastle’s School of Excellence as a youngster where he had been coached by the Magpies’ assistant manager John Carver and played football for his county side.

“I would have preferred to be Newcastle United’s number nine, I would have loved to have done that, I still would,” said Harmison, whose dad Jimmy played for Yeovil in the Conference. “I played both football and cricket when I was younger and I probably preferred football, probably always will do. Cricket, though, was something I grew into and got better and better at. That didn’t happen with football. I was at Newcastle’s school of excellence when I was 10. I played football in the winter and cricket in the summer. I played for Northumberland against Durham, Geoff saw me and I was playing for Durham a few weeks later.

“Everything went from there.

“I was always lively, but was tall and flimsy. I had a late growth spurt when I was 18, but my body couldn’t cope initially, that’s why I missed the whole of the 1997 season and it’s why I got homesick when I was away with England Under-19s in Pakistan.

“I only ever enjoyed playing cricket when I was bowling. I never liked batting, still don’t. The ball is too hard. When I had the ball in my hand I loved it, loved the game.

“But I don’t particularly like watching it, the IPL is on at the moment and I haven’t watched a single game. It doesn’t interest me, I’m not good at watching.”