ONY McMahon has never been ‘The fans would like to have 11 part of the gang. While other local lads but in the modern game teenagers were swigging cans _ D@©©D _ it’s not going to happen,” he said. T “We always get a good reception and of lager on village street corners every Saturday night, Tony was more they make us feel important.” likely to be watching Match of the While Tony’s playing career has Day in bed, with nothing stronger gone from strength to strength, life than an orange juice in his hand. off the pitch is also pretty rosy for the But as hard as it was growing up teenager, who has just bought his le g e n d first house, in Cockfield. on the outside, Tony was so focused on his dream of becoming a Tony hopes to commit his future to professional footballer that he never Middlesbrough and has no intention gave in to temptation. of leaving Teesdale either. And even now as he comes to the took to the training ground with the “I enjoy living here, it’s a nice, end of his first season as a first team senior players. quiet village and everybody is choice at Middlesbrough Football “I w as nervous to start with and it friendly,” he said. Club, the 19-year-old, is not so was strange,” Tony remembered. “I wanted to stay local. I’m not different from his schoolmates, and “They are the people I looked up to ready for moving. My mam does he remains an Evenwood lad and when I got a chance to everything for me and I couldn’t cope through and through. train with them it w as like a without her.” The McMahons’ Wellgarth house is dream and I was a bit star Somehow this teenager has no different to any other in struck.” managed to stay level-headed Evenwood, it is only the shiny silver But like many other despite his new-found wealth, and BM W sitting in the drive that gives youngsters that Tony still believes he owes much of any clue that it is the home of a come through his success to the support of his rising football star. The car is one of Middlesbrough’s family. the few luxuries Tony has bought thriving youth “I always knew the money was since he became a pro. academy, the going to come, but my mam and dad And while the stereotype of the older players look after my finances and I’m not hard-drinking, over-paid teenage took Tony under Top talent: one for spending,” he said. “If it footballer is familiar to most of us, their wing. “All Tony McMahon wasn’t for the support of my mam, Tony’s feet have remained firmly on the senior players in Premiership dad, brother and sister I wouldn’t be the ground, and he could not be look after us, action for where I am now. They have kept my more different. they are brilliant,” Middlesbrough feet on the ground and I just want to With the season over, Tony is he said. ‘They thank them.” turning his attention to the England often invite us Pic: MFC Even Premiership footballers get Under-21 team’s fixtures in the round to their the Day in bed time to relax, and while many of summer, I caught up with him at houses to play pool.” with my girlfriend Tony’s team mates might choose to home to find out whether the reality A n d o n e player in a n d they spend their free time in pubs and of Premiership football lives up to the particular has clearly highlighted me, clubs, he prefers to play snooker and dream, and to reflect on the long become Tony’s new tipping me to play tennis or stay in and watch television journey from Barnard Castle Juniors role model. ‘The for England, and my with Lyndsey. to Middlesbrough Man of the Match. one that I look up mam and dad came And what is the professional “Ever since I could walk and talk I to is Gareth running up the stairs. I player’s programme of choice? was playing football,” said Tony, his Southgate,” he never used to miss “W e never miss Footballers eyes sparkling with excitement just said. “He just Match of the Day when I Wives,” he said. “It’s so funny talking about the game. “I wake up does everything was young and there I was because it’s nothing like how it really every day and I can’t wait to go right every day, o n it.” is and that’s what makes me laugh.” training. It’s my job but I love it.” and that’s how I Perhaps the only people Despite having achieved so much But the young defender’s dream want to be. He more excited about Tony’s in h is sho rt life, T o n y re m a in s a s did not come without a price. keeps your feet success than he is are his family. determined and focused as ever. He After signing for Middlesbrough at on the ground. For as long as Tony has been hopes that he will soon become a the age of 12, his childhood was If you ever playing, proud mum Tracey has permanent fixture in the consumed by endless hours of need anybody never missed any of his games and Middlesbrough line-up, and has N s playing and training. And Tony to talk to, you match days are now a family affair sights set on the England team. admits that dedicating his life to can go to him for the McMahon’s who are at the “Football is m y w ho le life, I w ant to football was not easy. for anything. ground for every match. play every game,” he said. “I would “At first it was hard. W hen I was at H e will help “If I’m playing at h o m e w e h a v e to sta y at M id d le sb ro u g h for life, w h y school I was training four nights a you with any problems you have, be at the ground for 1.30 so I tend to would I want to move. All my friends week,” he said. “All my friends were even away from football.” have a lie in and get up at around and family are here and I will stay as going out Friday nights and I The support of the seniors helped 11,” explained Tony. Then my mum long as the club wants me.” wouldn’t because I was playing the Tony get through what was sure to makes me some pasta and chicken And there is one particular next day. I was never part of the be one of the most nerve-racking and I get my suit on and drive to the England defender whose boots Tony group .” moments of his life, when he made ground.” McMahon would love to fill. And even Tony’s girlfriend of four his first start for Middlesbrough, at And once on the pitch Tony always “I want Gareth Southgate’s years often struggled to understand Old Trafford last October. gets a great reception from the fans armband one day. I want to be why her boyfriend was so Nerves almost got the better of the who are delighted to have a young captain of Middlesbrough.” determined to spend all his time teenager when he found himself in local lad on the team. SOPHIE DOUGHTY playing football. But these days 20- the tunnel alongside Manchester year-old Lyndsey from Cockfield United, the team he supported as a never m isses one of Tony’s games. child. “Lyndsey w asn’t interested at all,” “Usually the gaffer names the team said Tony. “She didn’t understand on a Friday but I didn’t find out I was how well I was doing, and she playing until two hours before,” he wanted to be with me all the time. remembered. “I was in the tunnel But she loves going to gam es now.” stood next to Ryan Giggs who was The teenager’s focus remained so like my hero, and one of my team­ strong that he declined all teenage mates tapped me on the shoulder temptations in favour of training, and said ‘they are just normal training and more training. people’ and then my blinkers’ went “Going out and getting drunk is just on and I focused on the match.” not me,” he said. “I have never And Tony’s premiership career got touched alcohol, ever. I see people off to a flying start. After an wake up on a Sunday morning impressive 1-1 draw, marking saying they will never drink again but Ronaldo and Giggs, he was named then they start again the next week.” Man of the Match. His bottle of “When I was young it was the in c h a m p a g n e still sits untouched in the thing to hang around the streets and lounge at his Evenwood home today. drink but I was training every day and Tony is slowly getting used to his then went straight to bed,” he added. new-found fame, but still has to “I knew what I wanted to do and I pinch himself when he hears his wouldn’t let anything get in my way.” name on the television, or a fan Nothing did get in Tony’s way. After approaches him in the street for an Home turf: Tony school he began training full time autograph. McMahon hones his with Middlesbrough. And childhood “It is still really strange,” he said. skills in his home heroes became workmates when he “One night I was watching Match of village of Evenwood