Red: My Autobiography (27 page)

I scored an unbeaten 110 for Greenmount against Astley Bridge in July 1992 in partnership with a young Australian called Matthew Hayden (140 not out), as the Bury Times reported, but it was football only for me from then on.

Tracey, Gary and Phil Neville: 218 caps between us.

I signed my registration form for the Manchester United Centre of Excellence in August 1987.

At the age of sixteen, in the summer of 1991, this letter came from Brian Kidd inviting me for pre-season training with United.

My first youth team match came at Sunderland on 27 November 1991.

It was a proud moment to wear the United shirt and club blazer.

The famous Manchester United youth team. I’m in the back row (second from left) with Butty (second from right); Becks and Scholesy have the balls at their feet in front of us.

We beat Crystal Palace in the final of the FA Youth Cup in 1992, bringing the trophy to Old Trafford for the first time in twenty-eight years.

(Back row, from left) Ben Thornley, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Simon Davies, Chris Casper, Kevin Pilkington, Keith Gillespie; (front row, from left) John O’Kane, Robert Savage, George Switzer, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Colin McKee.

A dream come true. My first team debut came against Torpedo Moscow in the Uefa Cup on 16 September 1992.

With Becks and Butty in Red Square for the return leg of that match.

Phil and I first played together for United in a youth team game against Notts County.
Soon the media had coined the phrase ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ for the new United generation. ‘I’m delighted with them, they are our future,’ the manager said.