Where Man Utd team from 2011 FA Youth Cup final are now including Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison
MANCHESTER UNITED return to the FA Youth Cup Final for the first time since 2011 on Wednesday. United’s Under-18s will take on Nottingham Forest, who are coached by former Red Devils reserve team and academy coach Warren Joyce, at Old Trafford. The Manchester giants are the most successful team in the competition’s history having won […]
MANCHESTER UNITED return to the FA Youth Cup Final for the first time since 2011 on Wednesday.
United’s Under-18s will take on Nottingham Forest, who are coached by former Red Devils reserve team and academy coach Warren Joyce, at Old Trafford.
The Manchester giants are the most successful team in the competition’s history having won the trophy a total of 10 times.
But United haven’t been in the final for 11 years since defeating Sheffield United with the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Sam Johnstone and Ravel Morrison in their starting line-up.
But where are all the young aces who started for the Red Devils that day? SunSport takes a look:
GK: Sam Johnstone
Johnstone underwent a series of loan stints with David de Gea sealing the No1 spot between the senior squad’s sticks.
The Englishman ultimately joined West Brom in 2018 where he has been established as the starting keeper and has been linked with a return to United in the summer.
However, Tottenham pose as a likelier destination as they are planning to have him succeed Hugo Lloris in goal.
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RB: Michael Keane
Keane was sent out on loan to Leicester, Derby, Blackburn and Burnley, whom he joined on a permanent basis in 2015.
After a series of impressive performances in the Premier League with the Clarets, Keane was signed by Everton in 2017 where he has been established as a key member in defence.
CB: Michele Fornasier
Fornasier didn’t manage to break into the first team and was offloaded to Sampdoria in 2013.
He then played for Pescara, Venezia on loan, Parma, Trapani on loan and Cremonese.
The defender now features for Monopoli in the Italian third division.
CB: Tom Thorpe
Thorpe captained United during the FA Youth Cup Final against Sheffield United and earned a lot of admiration as a youngster in the academy.
he was handed his senior debut in 2014 by Louis van Gaal but left Old Trafford a year later for Rotherham, following a short loan spell at Birmingham.
After two more loan spells at Bradford and Bolton, the once-promising talent joined Indian side Atletico de Kolkata whom he left in 2018 and sources now claim the 29-year-old is done with football altogether.
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LB: Sean McGinty
McGinty never managed to make his senior debut for United and was sent out on loan to Morecambe, Oxford United, Carlisle and Tranmere.
That is until he joined Sheffield United, the team the Red Devils youngsters beat in the FA Youth Cup Final 11 years ago, on a permanent basis in 2013.
McGinty then joined a raft of different teams across the UK and is currently in Ayr United’s books, his 14th club
CM: Paul Pogba
Pogba is by far the most successful member of that team.
The Frenchman’s exit from United in 2012 is considered as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s few mistakes while in charge of the Red Devils as he went on to enjoy a stunning four-year stint in Turin.
However, the midfielder returned in 2016 for a club-record £89million and never managed to live up to expectations – he is now set to leave in June when his contract runs out.
CM: Ryan Tunnicliffe
Tunnicliffe also didn’t manage to play for the senior team and was offloaded to Fulham in 2014 after loan stints at Peterborough, Barnsley and Ipswich.
After another three loan stints while playing with the Cottagers, Tunnicliffe moved to Millwall, Luton and now Portsmouth.
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RW: Jesse Lingard
Lingard is another one of the few players that enjoyed some success with United’s senior team.
The midfielder was promoted by Louis van Gaal in 2015 and became a regular for quite a few years until he fell out of favour while under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Lingard revived his career last season while on loan at West Ham but didn’t get enough opportunities this term and is set to leave as a free agent in June.
LW: Gyliano van Velzen
Van Velzen couldn’t make it to the senior team and returned to the Netherlands for Utrecht after a loan spell at Royal Antwerp.
The Dutchman then competed for Volendam and Roda until his return to the UK as he signed with Crawley and underwent a loan stint with Aldershot Town.
The winger is back in Holland where he plays in the second division with Telstar.
CAM: Ravel Morrison
Morrison was considered among United’s top talents but left after three senior appearances for West Ham in 2012.
The Hammers sent Morrison out on loan to Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff until he left for Lazio in 2015.
However, the Serie A giants also loaned him to QPR and Atlas in Mexico before he signed with Swedish outfit Ostersund in 2019.
The versatile midfielder’s time in Scandinavia didn’t last long as he left for Sheffield United in the same year and Den Haag in the Netherlands soon after.
The ex-England Under-21 international now plays for Derby under United manager Wayne Rooney.
CF: Will Keane
Keane also managed a mere three senior appearances for United until he left for Hull in 2016, following loan stints at Wigan, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End.
The striker has been with Wigan since 2020 and has amassed a total of 38 goals and 12 assists in 88 appearances.