33-year-old, err, Harry Potter, who's from Waterlooville, Hampshire said he'd been disciplined in football games and even been called a liar by his future wife after telling them his name. "People just don't believe me," he said.  

"When I was a young footballer, a referee threatened me with a red card for saying my name was Harry Potter.   When I met my wife Philippa on holiday in Greece, she didn't believe me either.  People think it's a wind-up. I've had the mick taken out of me over the years but you get used to it."  

Harry says that sharing a famous fictional namesake has also had its pros, with it leading to him being invited onto The Big Breakfast TV show as a kid - where he got to meet stars like Ben Stiller and Gwen Stefani.

Harry works in complaints but said his name sometimes means that work could be difficult.  "When you ring someone up and they ask your name they usually dissolve into laughter or say 'you're joking'" he said. 

"It makes making a complaint quite difficult."  However, he looks set to have the last laugh as a rare copy of the first Harry Potter book that he owns is set to earn him up to £30,000 ($40,980) at auction. 

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