Thursday 9 February 2017 16:56, UK
When the legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly secured the transfer of Ron Yeats he was so struck by his new defender's sheer physicality that he famously said to the press, "We've signed a colossus, take a walk around him".
I strongly suspect had Steve Bruce made the same invitation to today's media when he signed Harry Maguire they would have needed to put aside quite some time to take the trip. He is huge.
His size is obvious to anyone that meets him but what is becoming increasingly apparent is that he has talent as impressive as his stature.
So to find out how this man mountain was forged and moulded, I went to his hometown Sheffield and his junior club Brunsmeer Athletic.
"When I was a young kid playing on Sunday mornings, on Sunday football pitches, I always enjoyed it. I got up early, was buzzing around and was very excited. It was exciting to play as a young kid with no fear, it was brilliant," Maguire said.
"Brunsmeer are one of the top clubs [for youth football]. My dad used to play here, that's the reason my brother and I came here, we both played in the same age group. We played in one of the top leagues and had some good players so we were fairly high up in the league."
Perhaps surprisingly while at Brunsmeer, he was neither big for his age nor a centre-half, like his father and two brothers. What Harry probably didn't realise at the time was the experience he gained elsewhere on the pitch would be the foundation of his future career.
"I wasn't the marauding centre-half I am now, I was a lot smaller back then," he added. "I played centre midfield until I shot up and got moved back.
"I was a central midfielder until I was 16 but having played a couple of good games at centre-half I've played there ever since. Sometimes I get played in midfield but it's hard to get about these days, given my big frame, so centre-half is my preferred position.
"When they've signed me, a lot of managers have asked whether I played in midfield when I was younger. It helps massively being able to bring the ball out from the back.
"When you're growing up as a central midfielder you're on the ball a lot more than you would be a centre-half. That is why I like to bring the ball out of the back."
Although only 23 years of age, Maguire has a wealth of experience, playing in excess of 150 games for Sheffield United.
After making his debut at just 18, other clubs quickly came calling but he and his advisors made the decision to stay and get a proper footballing education.
"After playing the first year at Sheffield United, where I played 50-odd games, I continued playing a lot of games for three years. I could have possibly moved on after the first year but I felt it was right to get more experience," the Hull defender said.
"You see a lot of players nowadays struggle to break through because of the talent clubs keep bringing in. So it was important to get games and experience. People say I'm an experienced centre-half and I'm only 23. Hopefully I can take that experience and get better with age."
When the call came to join Hull, it was time to go and the manager at the time was a major factor.
"One of the main reasons why I signed for Hull was because Steve Bruce was manager, I knew what a great career he had," Maguire added.
"Hull was a good choice at the time, they were in the Premier League and were in the Europa League for the first time - unfortunately we got knocked out in the qualification stages.
"Working under managers who were centre-backs has helped my career along the way and it has benefited me in the long run."
With his long legs and immense frame, Maguire is your archetypal solid centre-half. What makes him different from most is his calmness in possession of the ball and readiness to venture as far forward with it as possible.
So is it just as easy doing it in the Premier League as on the parks of Sheffield?
"It's something managers have always encouraged me to do but when you are playing in League One, pitches are different to playing the Premier League, sometimes the pitches stop you doing what you want to do with the ball," he said.
"I get encouraged when the manager wants me to do it, Marco (Silva) especially wants me to at Hull.
"Obviously, when I do go forward, we work on people covering myself in case I lose the ball and that encourages me as well. You have to time the runs right but it's something that comes naturally to myself."
John Terry is a player he admired while growing up but it's another John, Stones, who he not only identifies with but empathises with too.
He added: "John Stones is a great player. When things don't go right, people do jump on your back, especially when you're that style of footballer.
"I played against John when I was a young boy at Sheffield United, he was at Barnsley in the same age group. He was a good player back then and you could always tell he had something on the ball that other players didn't.
"With age, I'm sure he will get more experienced and will be a player to watch for many years."
His recent displays as part of Hull City's revival have won him rave reviews and reportedly most of the current top six Premier League clubs are monitoring the situation. It shouldn't be difficult for them, you simply can't miss him.
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