Ex-Blackpool and Rotherham United defender discusses shared pathway with Leicester icon as he reflects on international experience
Former Blackpool defender Marc Joseph shared a similar path into football as ex-England international Emile Heskey.
The pair both came from families of Antiguan descent, and grew up close to each other in Leicester.
Heskey broke onto the scene with his home city club, before representing the likes of Liverpool and Birmingham City, as well as featuring for the Three Lions at several major tournaments.
Meanwhile, Joseph progressed through the ranks of Cambridge United, while also playing for the likes of Peterborough United and Hull City.
After being with the Seasiders as a player between 2006 and 2007, the 47-year-old has since returned to Bloomfield Road to work for the club’s Community Trust.
“I went to school with Emile Heskey, so watching him progress through Leicester before he went to Liverpool was great,” he said.
“It’s strange because his dad is from Antigua, my dad is from Antigua, and they knew each other from living in the same village there.
“Emile then lived a couple of hundred yards away from me. He was the year below but we walked to school together.
“He was always a strong athlete, one of the quickest in the school.
“Gary Lineker was the pinnacle of someone from our city reaching the heights he did, but then Emile followed the same path. He moved to Liverpool where my idols were playing, it was great to see.
“It was fantastic to keep Leicester on the map.”
Towards the end of his professional career with Rotherham United, Joseph received the opportunity to represent the Antigua and Barbuda national team.
The defender played 12 times in total on the international stage, and competed in a number of World Cup qualifiers.
“They were doing a bit of a scouting mission over in the UK and my dad has heard something about it on the radio,” he added.
“He got in touch on my behalf and put my name forward.
“I had a great time being part of the international team, we had great success during that period. We got as far as any other Antiguan international team had got in the World Cup qualifiers.
“We were aware of our heritage and what it means. We were aware of people like Sir Viv Richard who was a mega sports star.
“To be asked to represent them was a big thing for me and a really proud moment for my dad.
“When we were there was a transition. Half of the lads played in the Antiguan top league and then the others were English players. We had to tell them how fortunate they were to represent their country because the number to choose from was minimal.”
While Joseph finished his time as a player with Antigua, his desire to forge a career in football firmly began as a youngster in Leicester.
“I remember my dad took me to Filbert Street, I must’ve only been eight,” he stated.
“My dad worked for Dunlop and he must’ve got some tickets through work, so we went watching Leicester V West Ham.
“He knew one of the security guards, and he took us up to the security room overlooking the pitch.
“As my football career built up and I started playing for Leicester boys, I got tickets through that connection. I really enjoyed it there, the atmosphere was brilliant.
“As a kid I was a fan, but I couldn’t afford to get a shirt until I was a little bit older, in my teens. They were always the team I supported, and being able to represent them as a school boy was really big for me.
“I was able to be a mascot a couple of times, and I was a ball boy when they went to Wembley against Blackburn. Those memories stick in your mind and drive you to be the one on the pitch.
“When I started playing, I stopped going to games and it became more of a career, following them from afar.
“It wasn’t until 2015 that people had something to say when you said you supported them, because people didn’t really take notice until then. It used to be the end of the conversation.”