The Former United Youth/Reserves Thread

kundalini said:
Josh Harrop's first Championship start for almost 11 months after his cruciate ligament injury, scored for Preston against Stoke.

After all the summer transfers, the former United youth/reserves currently playing in the Championship are:

Middlesbrough - McNair, Ashley Fletcher

Preston - Harrop, Ben Pearson

Blackburn - Joe Rothwell, Corry Evans

West Brom - Sam Johnstone

Charlton - Ben Amos

Luton - Ryan Tunnicliffe

Huddersfield - Fraizer Campbell

Sheff Wed - Kieran Lee

Derby - Tom Lawrence

Reading - Blackett

Stoke - Shawcross, (also Nick Powell and Mame Diouf, who may, or may not, meet criteria)
Click to expand...


Blackburn - Sam Hart, Danny Butterworth, Joe Rankin-Costello, Lewis Thompson
Brentford - Luke Daniels
Bristol City - Josh Brownhill
Derby County - Jacob Butterfield
Nottingham Forest - Luke Steele
Reading - Sam Smith
 
Last edited:
After sitting out Preston's last game, Harrop got another full 90 under his belt today.

Hopefully this is the start of him cementing a starting place after initially struggling.
 
Callum Gribbin scored for Sheff Utd 23's this afternoon.
 
Harrop's having a great start to the season. 4 goals in all competitions, and I know he's had an assist or two that, unfortunately, haven't been added to his stats.

In Rainbows said:
Januzaj with a De Bruyne type assist

Click to expand...

:drool:

Honestly, I wish he was still here playing on our right.
 
Yagami said:
Harrop's having a great start to the season. 4 goals in all competitions, and I know he's had an assist or two that, unfortunately, haven't been added to his stats.


:drool:

Honestly, I wish he was still here playing on our right.
Click to expand...
He was one of Preston bright players vs City when I went to watch, they play him drifting around behind the striker which seems to be helping him find some form.

Me and my brother were talking about Januzaj just the other day, we said how bad a hand he got dealt at United under LvG. Had he been breaking through now, I feel out right hand side would have some creative output this season.
 
Lee O Connor playing for Ireland tonight and looking seriously good
 
Scholsey2004 said:
There was some optimism. He was rated about the same as Lingard when they were 18 in the 'might make it' bracket. Just demonstrates how difficult it is to separate those who have it and those who don't.
Click to expand...

Which of those two has it?
 
Rene's son Melle Meulensteen scored his third goal for RKC Waalwijk this season. The 20-year old centre-back started the first 8 Eredivisie matches and today returned to the starting eleven after being an unused sub for the last three games. Think he was in our academy before moving to Preston.
 
I looked up some United-youngster on the net to see how they were doing:

Frederic Veseli - actually has had a decent career since leaving United. 33 caps for Albania - and now a regular for Empoli in Serie B (but player in seria A last season)

Saidy Janko - a player that never impressed me - but at the age of 24 he has played for United, Celtic, St.Etienne, Porto, Bolton, Barnsley, Forest and Young Boys. Regular for Young Boys this season.

Gyliano van Velzen is now at Crawley Town after doing reasonably well for Volendam and Roda over the last 3 or so years. Only come on as a sub in 4 matches for Crawley if I am not mistaken.

Michele Fornasier did quite well for Pescara for 4 Seasons - joined Parma in the summer before being loaned out to Serie B-side Trapani.

Charni Ekangamene has been around in all kinds of mediocre sides. Waregem, Beerschot, Fc Eindhoven, Inter Bratislava and now latest at regional Tenerife-side CD Marino. I dare say that his career is practically over.

John Cofie was at one stage so highly rated that Liverpool and United fought over his signature. At the age of 26 he is now in Hume City in Australia after playing (not too well) at a bunch of lower-league sides in the UK

Jack Barmby did quite well for Hartlepool on loan but moved to the US and has actually been fairy good over there. 8 goals in 32 matches for San Antonio in the 2019 season, before being drafted to Phoenix Rising a week ago.

Nicholas Ioannou who broke into the United U18-side as a 15 year old was released from United in 2014 and moved back to Cyprus. Has played more or less regularly for Apollon Limasol and is a Cypriotic international.

So despite quite a few of them being fairly limited as footballers by United-standards, not many footballers from this level do not go on to have some kind of a career.
 
lysglimt said:
I looked up some United-youngster on the net to see how they were doing:

Frederic Veseli - actually has had a decent career since leaving United. 33 caps for Albania - and now a regular for Empoli in Serie B (but player in seria A last season)

Saidy Janko - a player that never impressed me - but at the age of 24 he has played for United, Celtic, St.Etienne, Porto, Bolton, Barnsley, Forest and Young Boys. Regular for Young Boys this season.

Gyliano van Velzen is now at Crawley Town after doing reasonably well for Volendam and Roda over the last 3 or so years. Only come on as a sub in 4 matches for Crawley if I am not mistaken.

Michele Fornasier did quite well for Pescara for 4 Seasons - joined Parma in the summer before being loaned out to Serie B-side Trapani.

Charni Ekangamene has been around in all kinds of mediocre sides. Waregem, Beerschot, Fc Eindhoven, Inter Bratislava and now latest at regional Tenerife-side CD Marino. I dare say that his career is practically over.

John Cofie was at one stage so highly rated that Liverpool and United fought over his signature. At the age of 26 he is now in Hume City in Australia after playing (not too well) at a bunch of lower-league sides in the UK

Jack Barmby did quite well for Hartlepool on loan but moved to the US and has actually been fairy good over there. 8 goals in 32 matches for San Antonio in the 2019 season, before being drafted to Phoenix Rising a week ago.

Nicholas Ioannou who broke into the United U18-side as a 15 year old was released from United in 2014 and moved back to Cyprus. Has played more or less regularly for Apollon Limasol and is a Cypriotic international.

So despite quite a few of them being fairly limited as footballers by United-standards, not many footballers from this level do not go on to have some kind of a career.
Click to expand...
Thanks for doing the legwork on this. Much appreciated.
 
Of the players who left United U23s on a free transfer last summer, Matthew Olosunde appears to be doing the best. 20 starts in League One, 3 assists for Rotherham, who are currently 3rd in the table, though have played a game more than some of the sides just below them.

Regan Poole - regular starter for struggling MK Dons in League One. 13 starts, of which 11 as a CB.
DJ Buffonge - 3 sub appearances for Spezia Calcio in Serie B. Unused sub in most games
Matty Willock - one start for Gillingham in League One. It seems that a knee injury has kept him out for an extended spell.
Josh Bohui - 2 sub appearances for NAC Breda in the Netherlands 2nd tier Keuken Kampioen Divisie. A knee injury kept him out until mid November
Tyrell Warren - joined Salford City but yet to play for them
Callum Whelan - Watford U23s
Callum Gribbin - Sheff United U23s
Tom Sang - Cardiff U23s
Zak Dearnley - can't find any info apart from he was going for a trial at Rotherham in late August but got injured a few days before.

Other players to have departed recently for a minimal fee:

Nishan Burkart - 1 goal in 9 starts for Freiburg II in Regionalliga Sudwest
Lee O'Connor - joined Celtic but yet to appear for their first team
Ro-Shaun Williams - regular starter for Shrewsbury in League One

Going back to the United U23s team that got relegated:

Indy Boonen - KV Oostende in Belgian Jupiler Pro League. 1 start 9 sub. Often unused sub. Fewer mins than this time last season.
Tosin Kehinde - on loan at Randers in Danish Superligaen, from Feirense U23 in Portugal. 3 starts 4 sub. Mostly unused sub.
Joe Riley - joined Bradford, then in League One. Played a few games in August 2018. Out of favour after early managerial change. Bradford relegated. Suffered long term injury this pre-season.
Charlie Scott - played some non-league. Was at Altrincham briefly. Newcastle Town listed as his current club.
Devonte Redmond - fairly regular starter for Wrexham in the National League. Had a short spell at Salford City last spring as they won promotion from the National League.
James Wilson - 7 starts 4 sub for Aberdeen, contributing just one assist so far in the Scottish Premiership.

A few others that left in recent years:

James Weir - now at Bolton in League One, after his Hull contract ended. Was getting starts prior to the change of ownership, when team consisted mainly of youth team players. Unused sub in League One since mid September. Astonishing that Mike Phelan bought him for Hull when they were in the PL.
Will Keane - joined Ipswich after his Hull contract ended. Had spent last few months on loan at Ipswich. 2 goals in League One in 4 starts 6 sub.
Reece James - regular starter for Doncaster in League One, having left Sunderland.
Donald Love - mentioned in article posted previously, now a regular starter at Shrewsbury, having left Sunderland, where he was an occasional starter in PL, then Championship, then League One.
Joe Rothwell - just over 1000 mins in the Championship for Blackburn this season. Last season about 1500 mins in total. Joined Oxford in League One when he left United. Turns 25 in January.
Ashley Fletcher - scored 5 goals in 21 starts in the Championship this season for Middlesbrough.
Ben Pearson - regular starter for Preston in the Championship. Turns 25 in early Jan.
Tom Lawrence - now more famous for a car crash than his football achievements at Derby. Very fortunate still to have a career. 5 goals 10 yellow cards in 22 starts.

And some older ones:

Davide Petrucci - fairly regular starter for Ascoli in Serie B. His post United career path: Romania, Turkish Superleague then relegated to 2nd tier then promoted to Superleague, Italian Serie B.
Mats Moller Daehli - 1 goal and 7 assists in 15 starts for St Pauli in the Bundesliga 2. Been fit for the last couple of seasons.
Ryan Tunnicliffe - regular starter at relegation zone Luton in the Championship. His Fulham career consisted of 2 PL starts 1 sub then being sent on loan to various Championship teams.
Corry Evans - some starts, unused sub quite often for Blackburn in the Championship. Made over 200 starts in the Championship.
Kieran Lee - Steve Bruce generously gave him a contract for another year after a lengthy injury spell, before resigning to join Newcastle. Kieran has made 9 starts 6 sub for Sheff Wed this season.
Scott Wootton - playing for Plymouth in League Two after they got relegated. Was at MK Dons before that. Joined Leeds when he left United. Seemed a solid Championship player for a while.
Zeki Fryers - has been starting matches as a CB for Swindon, currently top of League Two. Until recently his career had been almost the out-field equivalent of 3rd choice keeper.
Fraizer Campbell - got a better financial offer from Huddersfield so chose to leave Hull after his contract ended. Only 2 goals so far this season.
Federico Macheda - 2nd season in the Greek Super League for Panathinaikos, 5 goals in 12 starts. Previously at Novara Calcio in Serie B in Italy. Joined Cardiff when he left United.
Liam Grimshaw - starting for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. Joined Preston when he left United. Then sent on loan to Chesterfield. Turns 25 in Feb.
Danny Drinkwater - one start for Burnley, on loan from Chelsea. Now more likely to feature in drink driving stories or beaten up after getting into a fight while drunk, than sports reports. Won title with Leicester.
Gerard Pique - won a billion La Liga titles, Champions Leagues, World Cup etc etc with Barcelona and Spain. Married Colombian pop star Shakira. Organises tennis tournaments that I don't quite understand. Despite not being as good as Jonny Evans, I suspect we might have made an error in letting him leave. Pique is too slow for the PL. 10 years later..... Let's sign Harry Maguire for £80m. Personally, I have never forgiven him for that horrible error at Bolton that cost us the match.
 
Last edited:
@lysglimt @kundalini great work guys, funnily enough I was looking at what most of those guys are up to nowadays recently.

Being from Preston I follow their results and have been to a few games in the past when United arent at home. Pearson is by far their best player, if they don't make the PL this season someone will come in for him, although his disciplinary record isn't great.

Josh Harrop also plays for them he has 3 goals from 15 appearances, 6 were starts.
 
kundalini said:
Of the players who left United U23s on a free transfer last summer, Matthew Olosunde appears to be doing the best. 20 starts in League One, 3 assists for Rotherham, who are currently 3rd in the table, though have played a game more than some of the sides just below them.

Regan Poole - regular starter for struggling MK Dons in League One. 13 starts, of which 11 as a CB.
DJ Buffonge - 3 sub appearances for Spezia Calcio in Serie B. Unused sub in most games
Matty Willock - one start for Gillingham in League One. It seems that a knee injury has kept him out for an extended spell.
Josh Bohui - 2 sub appearances for NAC Breda in the Netherlands 2nd tier Keuken Kampioen Divisie. A knee injury kept him out until mid November
Tyrell Warren - joined Salford City but yet to play for them
Callum Whelan - Watford U23s
Callum Gribbin - Sheff United U23s
Tom Sang - Cardiff U23s
Zak Dearnley - can't find any info apart from he was going for a trial at Rotherham in late August but got injured a few days before.

Other players to have departed recently for a minimal fee:

Nishan Burkart - 1 goal in 9 starts for Freiburg II in Regionalliga Sudwest
Lee O'Connor - joined Celtic but yet to appear for their first team
Ro-Shaun Williams - regular starter for Shrewsbury in League One

Going back to the United U23s team that got relegated:

Indy Boonen - KV Oostende in Belgian Jupiler Pro League. 1 start 9 sub. Often unused sub. Fewer mins than this time last season.
Tosin Kehinde - on loan at Randers in Danish Superligaen, from Feirense U23 in Portugal. 3 starts 4 sub. Mostly unused sub.
Joe Riley - joined Bradford, then in League One. Played a few games in August 2018. Out of favour after early managerial change. Bradford relegated. Suffered long term injury this pre-season.
Charlie Scott - played some non-league. Was at Altrincham briefly. Newcastle Town listed as his current club.
Devonte Redmond - fairly regular starter for Wrexham in the National League. Had a short spell at Salford City last spring as they won promotion from the National League.
James Wilson - 7 starts 4 sub for Aberdeen, contributing just one assist so far in the Scottish Premiership.

A few others that left in recent years:

James Weir - now at Bolton in League One, after his Hull contract ended. Was getting starts prior to the change of ownership, when team consisted mainly of youth team players. Unused sub in League One since mid September. Astonishing that Mike Phelan bought him for Hull when they were in the PL.
Will Keane - joined Ipswich after his Hull contract ended. Had spent last few months on loan at Ipswich. 2 goals in League One in 4 starts 6 sub.
Reece James - regular starter for Doncaster in League One, having left Sunderland.
Donald Love - mentioned in article posted previously, now a regular starter at Shrewsbury, having left Sunderland, where he was an occasional starter in PL, then Championship, then League One.
Joe Rothwell - just over 1000 mins in the Championship for Blackburn this season. Last season about 1500 mins in total. Joined Oxford in League One when he left United. Turns 25 in January.
Ashley Fletcher - scored 5 goals in 21 starts in the Championship this season for Middlesbrough.
Ben Pearson - regular starter for Preston in the Championship. Turns 25 in early Jan.
Tom Lawrence - now more famous for a car crash than his football achievements at Derby. Very fortunate still to have a career. 5 goals 10 yellow cards in 22 starts.

And some older ones:

Davide Petrucci - fairly regular starter for Ascoli in Serie B. His post United career path: Romania, Turkish Superleague then relegated to 2nd tier then promoted to Superleague, Italian Serie B.
Mats Moller Daehli - 1 goal and 7 assists in 15 starts for St Pauli in the Bundesliga 2. Been fit for the last couple of seasons.
Ryan Tunnicliffe - regular starter at relegation zone Luton in the Championship. His Fulham career consisted of 2 PL starts 1 sub then being sent on loan to various Championship teams.
Corry Evans - some starts, unused sub quite often for Blackburn in the Championship. Made over 200 starts in the Championship.
Kieran Lee - Steve Bruce generously gave him a contract for another year after a lengthy injury spell, before resigning to join Newcastle. Kieran has made 9 starts 6 sub for Sheff Wed this season.
Scott Wootton - playing for Plymouth in League Two after they got relegated. Was at MK Dons before that. Joined Leeds when he left United. Seemed a solid Championship player for a while.
Zeki Fryers - has been starting matches as a CB for Swindon, currently top of League Two. Until recently his career had been almost the out-field equivalent of 3rd choice keeper.
Click to expand...


well done
 
Out of all the players, Pearson, Daehli, and Lawrence have been the best. Not surprised by that.
 
Mats M Dahlie will join fellow norwegians Kristian Thorstvedt (son of Erik) and Sander Berge at Genk - so that is a proper Norwegian club now
 
I'm happy to see Will Keane playing regular footy. I thought he was very talented but those injuries, man.

pascell said:
@lysglimt @kundalini great work guys, funnily enough I was looking at what most of those guys are up to nowadays recently.

Being from Preston I follow their results and have been to a few games in the past when United arent at home. Pearson is by far their best player, if they don't make the PL this season someone will come in for him, although his disciplinary record isn't great.

Josh Harrop also plays for them he has 3 goals from 15 appearances, 6 were starts.
Click to expand...
I hope you're right about Pearson, mate. I always had a soft spot for him.
 
Ravel had a nice performance in the FA cup today. Could have scored or assisted, if not for teammates either failing to pass him the ball in dangerous positions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.