We kept hearing from Fergie how good Foster was... Until he sold him that is. We kept hearing from Fergie hwo good Veron was... Until he sold him that is. Fergie will always build up his players. Years ago he mentioned in one of his books (Will to win from 97') great young players like Wes Brown, John Curtis and Alex Notman, "who only needs to grow up a bit". Well, only one of them got a real career with us (Curtis made a few appearances) and it wasn't Notman.
Most of our young lads will not make it as United players whether they go out on loan or not, and we have to remember that. It's actually been right in the mid-ninties as well. A few have made it then - but for every Neville or Scholes you had others who did not. There are more loans now, and maybe the youth teams are larger, so maybe it makes you think something has changed. It hasn't. Most players do not make it, same as before.
A good loan, though, can build them up and help them make the step up from reserve football to first team football. It was wonderful for Evans, it had good effect on other players who just didn't progress enough to be United players. It doesn't mean they'll make it, though. Nothing's certain.