I Was Only Eight When Arsenal Let Me Go – Kane

Harry Kane has said that being released by Arsenal as an eight-year-old was “the best thing that ever happened to me” and he remains motivated by proving them wrong.

He said “I remember the first time we [Spurs schoolboys] played against Arsenal.

“Even back then, I had a chip on my shoulder. It might sound ridiculous — I was only eight when they let me go — but every time we played them, I thought: ‘Alright, we’ll see who’s right and who’s wrong.’

“Looking back on it now, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because it gave me a drive that wasn’t there before.”

He added: “When I was lacing my up boots I had a flashback to when I was 11, playing against Arsenal’s youth team.

“It was like deja vu. Before every match, I always visualise scenarios of exactly how I’ll score in the match. I’ve always been that way. I get really detailed about it — I’ll picture my opponents and the cut of the grass and everything.

“This time, I was picturing the defenders wearing the red Arsenal kit, and I got goosebumps.

“We were in the tunnel, and I thought: ‘OK. Took me 12 years. But we’ll see who was right and who was wrong.’

“I scored two that day, and the winner in the 86th minute was something that I’d never even dream of visualising before a match. It was a header — probably the best header I’ve ever scored — and that feeling when it hit the back of the net … I’ve never felt a rush like that in my whole career.

“I remember walking round the pitch after the final whistle and clapping to the fans … and it felt like: ‘Well — I told you so.'”