Sir Alex Ferguson let me on Man Utd bus with Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney – now I’m leading Wrexham’s promotion charge
WREXHAM striker Sam Smith was inspired to become a footballer after Sir Alex Ferguson invited him on to the Manchester United team coach to meet all the players.
Smith, 26, was a starry-eyed kid when the legendary ex-Red Devils boss let him meet the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
He also played in the same youth teams as Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Angel Gomes and Axel Tuanzebe during his ten years with United.
Smith told SunSport: “I met Sir Alex a few times. He used to watch the academy games.
“He knew everyone and would speak to the family. That was the sort of guy he was.
“He used to invite the under-sevens and under-eights on to the first-team coach before they set off for games to meet all the players.
“Being a kid and a huge Manchester United fan, meeting all the stars was something I’ll never forget. It gave me the motivation to try to be there one day.
“Ronaldo and Rooney were the two players that I looked up to, so it was a huge moment for me.”
Smith was at United from the age of six to 16 and savours the memories.
He said: “The values and lessons I learned were more off the field than on.
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“It was more about being a good person and professional. Working hard will take you further than being a good footballer. That got instilled into a lot of the academy. It was what the club stood for.
“There have been so many academy players who, if they don’t go on to play at the top level, have good EFL careers.
“I was in the same age group as Rashford and Tuanzebe, who is at Ipswich.
“Angel Gomes used to play up an age group while Scott McTominay played down. Back then, Rashford wasn’t a striker.
“He was a No 10 or a holder. He was really small. I went to school with them all on a day-to-day basis.
“You could see Rashford had a talent that no one else did. It was no shock he went on to play for England and United.
“McTominay was another one who didn’t grow until a lot later. He was about 18 when he grew.
“He was always a small, technical No 10 but he’s done unbelievable to go on and have the career he has had.
“Everyone who knows Scotty knows how professional and hard he works. He is maximising what he has got.
“Training with these on a day-to-day basis you just learn things that you wouldn’t from other players.
“It was drummed into us early about being a good person and professional.”
The striker moved to Reading and progressed through their youth system before breaking into their first team.
And ironically it was another former United star Jaap Stam — who was Royals boss — who gave him his biggest breaks.
Smith said: “I made my debut in every competition under Stam. I signed my first-team contract under him, too.
“When he got the sack I ended up being loaned out to Oxford, Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Tranmere and Cheltenham before the club released me.”
But after two years at Cambridge in League One, the Royals, following their relegation from the Championship, re-signed him at the start of last season.
And despite all the well-documented off-field problems at the club, he enjoyed the best days of his senior career so far — scoring 27 goals from 58 starts in all competitions.
This week he won the SkyBet League One Goal of the Month award for his stunner at Cambridge for the Royals — before moving to North Wales two weeks ago.
The promotion-chasing Red Dragons go to Northampton today.
And Smith said: “Everyone knows how much Reading means to me.
“I progressed from the academy into the first team and went back and had a successful time. I always gave my all for them.
“But there were off-field issues and they got a bid from Wrexham. I was told they needed to sell me to pay some bills and I was impressed by the project here.
“Me and my dad have watched the Welcome To Wrexham documentaries and I’ve heard good things about the owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. I’ve not met them yet.
“The manager Phil Parkinson knows this level well and the level above.
“It’s an exciting place to be and I’m also back near home after ten years living mostly down in the south. I’m hoping to help push the team on.”