England content manager and programme editor Nicholas Veevers looks back at Harry Kane's career, from an ambitious youngster to his country's record goalscorer and centurion
I can still remember the first time I saw Harry Kane play in an England shirt.
It was for the MU19s in a game against Denmark in February 2011 at what was a sparkling new Amex Stadium in Brighton.
He was still a year young for that age group at the time and while there was no goal for him that night, he played a big part in the performance.
It was a rangy display from Kane in a competitive and physical game before he was replaced on the hour mark by West Ham’s Robert Hall, who eventually scored the goal in a 1-0 win for Noel Blake’s side.
Harry had already established himself on the international scene by then, having made an impression with the MU17s in their final qualifying round of the U17 EURO in 2010.
After scoring his first international goals at any level against Malta at Burton Albion and Slovakia at the Sixfields Stadium in Northampton, he helped John Peacock’s squad reach their EURO Finals in Liechtenstein that summer.
Unfortunately, Kane missed that trip after picking up a late-season injury, and also what would’ve been a first medal, as he watched on from home when the Young Lions went on to win the title with a win over Spain in the Final.
But it was under head coach Blake with the MU19s where he really started to make an impression during the 2011-12 season, which also tallied with his first loan spell away from Spurs at his local club Leyton Orient just a few miles from where he grew up in Chingford.
And it was on the familiar and local turf of Brisbane Road in February 2012 when I saw him score the first goal in a 2-1 win over Czechia as the team prepared for that year’s U19 EURO Finals in Estonia.
He was the obvious choice to interview for that game’s match programme, of which there’s still a copy in my desk drawer and even as a precocious youngster, Kane left a good first impression back then.
Harry was clearly a level-headed character, completely at ease with himself while also possessing a confidence and determination to succeed whether that was his manner when dealing with those early media requests to speak to him or his focus on the pitch.