Harrison's mum Sheree Jones, a self-confessed football fanatic, said that ahead of yesterday's school clinic with LA Galaxy and Jets players she had to explain who the star player was.

"I said 'He is the world's best footballer', and Harrison said 'He doesn't play rugby'," Mrs Jones laughed.

While Beckhamania will come to a head tonight when the English-born midfielder steps out onto EnergyAustralia Stadium to play in front of an anticipated 25,000 fans, it was in full swing at Newcastle's International Hockey Centre yesterday.

Hundreds of screaming fans welcomed Beckham and his Galaxy teammates to a football clinic for 680 children from 20 Hunter schools.

Later, the Galaxy players had a training run at the stadium.

Mrs Jones said she would have the photo of Beckham tying her son's shoelaces framed and the shirt Beckham signed for him up on the wall at home.

"It will be a great story for him to tell - he will be beside himself when he actually realises who he is," she said.

The St Therese's Catholic Primary School student was more interested in surpassing his goal-scoring hat-trick on the day than waiting for Beckham to finish with his shoe but did enjoy his minute in the spotlight.

"I was running around and he asked me if he could do my shoelace up and I said yes. I think it was pretty cool.

"When we went Sophie [a girl in his class] said 'good work'," Harrison told the Newcastle Herald.

Northern NSW football federation community football manager Peter Haynes said he was really happy with how the clinic, played across 40 small-sided fields, went.

"Beckham was in four or five different games, he signed autographs where he could, interacted with the kids, gave out lots of high-fives, he was a really down-to-earth guy," Mr Haynes said.

"Any time you can get 700 kids together with a smile on their faces and playing football is fantastic."