adminManchester on Monday, 22 years to the day since Beckham signed his first professional contract at Old Trafford.
The six, branded Fergie’s Fledglings, helped transform United and set the club on their way to two decades of dominance of English football.
Even before United won the FA Youth Cup in 1992 there had been talk of a crop of youngsters to compare with the Busby Babes, who won the first competition in 1953.
Each player was developed by United from a very early age, some signing schoolboy forms with the club at the age of just 14.
The term ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ came back into common usage during the 1995–96 season, after Ferguson largely used this group of youngsters coming through to replace a number of distinguished older players who had left the club.
Following a 3–1 opening day away defeat by Aston Villa, pundit Alan Hansen commented on Match of the Day ‘You’ll never win anything with kids.’ The young side, with an average age of just 24, then went on to overturn Newcastle United’s 12-point Christmas lead to win the club’s third league title in four years, followed up by a 1–0 win over Liverpool in the 1996 FA Cup final to secure the Double.
A period of great success followed, the most outstanding triumph being the Treble in 1999. Many of the class of ‘92 became regulars for both club and country during this time and Beckham became captain of England and broke Bobby Moore’s record for number of caps won by an outfield player.
Meanwhile, David Moyes launched a new era at Manchester United by putting the players through their paces at the club’s Carrington training complex yesterday.
The new United boss was joined by his assistant Steve Round and he was keen to show a more hands-on approach than his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson, who was happy for Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen to organise the coaching.
Wantaway Wayne Rooney, new signing Wilfried Zaha and player-coach Giggs were among the those who took part in pre-season training. — Mailonline.
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