One of David Miliband’s enduring school memories is of being ‘slaughtered’ in a five-a-side football match.

But the contender for the Labour Party leadership gave a better account of himself when he returned to his Horsforth primary school.

The former Foreign Secretary saved at least five goals when he was asked to take part in an impromptu penalty shoot-out at Newlaithes Primary.

And although he also let a fair few through, his footballing skills were deemed to be ‘alright’ by some of the 16 youngsters ranged against him.

The year six children had cheered and chanted his name as he arrived in the playground to find himself unexpectedly back in goal.

And after taking their best shots against him the youngsters gave him the thumbs-up.

Eleven-year-old Lauren Maw said: “He is a happy man – you can tell it by the smile on his face.”

Lydia Austin, also 11, said: “He’s alright in net. He is very friendly and he seems a nice man.”

Watching from the sidelines as the MP gamely took up the challenge was his old teacher and inspiration Harry Pieniazek who taught the beautiful game to the football-mad youngster.

And he said he was pleased with his latest performance.

“He did his best – it’s not easy diving in a playground,” he said.

During his visit to the school Mr Miliband said some of his finest moments has been in its playground and playing fields. But he also reminisced about losing in the final of a football tournament.

“We got into the final of some footie tournament and we got absolutely slaughtered. All I remember is we lost five-nil,” he said.

He also recalled another less than triumphant moment: “I remember on a Saturday morning – I think in Guiseley – standing in goal and an easy shot coming in and going straight through my legs.”

And there was further drama on a school football trip to Belgium.

“We were meant to be coming back on a double decker coach which drove into a bridge that was only big enough for a single decker bus,” he told youngsters. “It ripped the top deck off.

Mr Pieniazek, who joined the school in 1974 and still works there part-time, has fond memories of teaching his young charge.

“He was always mature for his age,” he said. “He used to love playing football – his mum used to worry he was spending too much time playing football and not enough reading.”

But devotion to the game has clearly not done him too much harm.

Mr Pieniazek who is described by Mr Miliband as his inspiration in a book by Gordon Brown’s wife, Sarah, said: “When you see somebody at 11 and the next thing they are in government you feel very proud.”

Mr Miliband, who took questions from the youngsters at the school, told them he admired people like Nelson Mandela, but he said he also admired people like Mr Pieniazek, who did ‘remarkable things in the community’.

He added: “What he said was ‘believe that you can do things – believe you can save this penalty.’”

Mr Miliband took question from some of the children, and passed on his best wishes to an old classmate, Shian Thomas (now Virk) when he found out her son, Kiran Virk, and niece, Anna Kitchingman, were both pupils at the school.

He told Kiran: “Say hello to your mum for me. I was at school with her. Give her lots of love.”

Mr Miliband was invited to Newlaithes by headteacher Joanne Blacoe who hoped his visit would help them mark the award of an outstanding Ofsted report.

She said the children were delighted when the MP, whose last visit was in 2005, agreed to come again.

“We announced it in assembly and they all cheered – it was like he was a pop-star,” she said.

While there he was presented with an original watercolour of the school painted by local artist Andrew Laycock.

Mr Miliband told pupils and teachers the painting depicted the school exactly as he remembered it, and was going straight up on his wall.

He stressed: “It did great things for me, this school. It taught me a huge amount – and it taught me as well that I was never going to be a professional footballer.”