'My goal was better than David Norris'!': The forgotten Portsmouth scorer on his stunner against Southampton
Chris Maguire scored Pompey’s first opener in their 2-2 draw at Southampton in April 2012
It’s the forgotten south-coast derby goal, yet, in the architect's unashamedly biased opinion, actually ranks as better than David Norris’ iconic Pompey strike.
Indeed, there were two stunning Blues finishes in that memorable 2-2 draw in April 2012, even if not everyone will recall Chris Maguire’s remarkable contribution.
Unsurprisingly, Norris’ last-gasp St Mary’s leveller has entered Pompey folklore, a classy left-footed volley in front of the travelling away hordes for a special moment still cherished to this day.
Earlier in the game, however, Maguire, a loanee from Derby, cancelled out Billy Sharp’s first-half opener with a thumping right-footed 37th-minute strike from the left-hand channel, just outside the box.
On any other day, it would have been heralded as the goal of the game - then Norris intervened.
‘I’m just going to hit this’
Maguire told The News: ‘It’s remembered now as the David Norris Day, so my goal kind of takes a back seat, even though I am biased and probably would say mine was better!
‘Mine was hitting it straight off with perfect placement, whereas David’s is a great strike and technique. The timing to catch that volley, keeping his eye on the ball. Out of 10 attempts, that may come off just once.
‘People obviously remember his more in terms of the timing in the game, but, if they watch the match back, they will see there were actually two cracking goals. I’m biased, but the better of the two is open for debate!
‘With mine, we were 1-0 down and I remember picking the ball up at the halfway line and playing it down the line to Kelvin Etuhu on the left. I then continued my run and managed to get it back off him.
‘I was at an angle, but it sat up nicely, so I thought “I’m just going to hit this”. As soon as I did, it was so sweet that I knew it was going in, thankfully right into the (nearside) top corner of the net.
‘At the time, you’re young and in a derby, you want to make a mark. I don’t really think there was much else in the box, so I hit it and, thankfully, it flew in.
‘I don’t think you could have placed it any closer in the top corner if you had tried. You could have had two keepers in and they would also have never saved it.
‘To be fair, I’ve scored quite a lot of good goals in my career, especially from far out, so that was something I did quite regularly. I’ve always fancied myself taking a strike from outside the box and believe I have the quality to cause keepers trouble.
‘It’s still one of my favourites. Over the course of my career, I scored some big goals and some good goals, but that is always one I look back on and show the kids. It’s a special one to be in that type of game as well.
‘My kids really like that one - more for the goal than the occasion. They are Scottish, so don’t really get the big rivalry between Portsmouth and Southampton, although I have tried to explain.
‘It was an important goal in that game, but they like it just for the fact I smashed it!’
Scored three goals in 11 games for Portsmouth
Having signed on loan at Fratton Park in March 2012, Maguire would register three goals in 11 appearances for the Blues, yet was unable to prevent the inevitable slide into League One.
He later represented Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry (loan), Rotherham, Oxford United, Bury, Sunderland, Lincoln, Hartlepool, Ayr and, in the previous two seasons, Eastleigh.
Now aged 36, the Scottish striker is currently searching for his next club, although still harbours one St Mary’s regret from 13-and-a-half years ago.
‘We possibly could have won’
He added: ‘We possibly could have won it, I had another chance in the game, early in the second half.
‘When I look back at the highlights, I kind of hit it with the wrong foot, I opened my body up too far and it was probably about eight yards out.
‘I remember it getting cut back and I was probably thinking about the goal before I even hit the ball. It was a lapse of concentration, it could have been different.
‘Still, I had a great view for our equaliser, I was right behind David when he struck that. Then it was crazy, running towards the fans and seeing them go off their heads. What a brilliant ending.’