The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 52 The Beginning of Class 92

"We started attracting young talents at the end of 1986 and continued to train them until 92 when they became famous because of the Youth FA Cup. This is the origin of the Red Devils Class of 92. The young players of the Red Devils during this period collectively stood out, making the Red Devils Class of 92 an inspirational symbol in the football world."

--Inscription

Under Ferguson's high attention, the Red Devils Club quickly expanded the scale of its youth training camp, and the recruitment effect was immediate.

Ferguson's personal involvement has given full impetus to the youth training program, directly creating a strong tornado in English football.

Ferguson once again emphasized the absolute importance of youth training in the club and completely rebuilt the recruitment system so that all work could be started very quickly and effectively.

Ferguson's unconventional selection efforts also motivated more youth scouts to take action. He expanded the key network in the Red Devils' youth training system, and a scouting system specifically for community and school football began to operate. This network is very effective. Scouts affiliated with the Red Devils, community team coaches across the country, institutions engaged in youth football training, and football team coaches from various schools... have all become beneficiaries of the Red Devils club's recruitment of players, and they are more actively helping the Red Devils.

Many young players came to the Red Devils' training base in Crieff with great joy. Some players who were no longer young were recommended to the Red Devils, and some were discovered by scouts... The Red Devils' youth training base became very lively. As for Ferguson, who was eager to recruit talents, he welcomed everyone who came to the Red Devils for trial training.

In December 1986, Ferguson signed Giggs, the first of his signings. Not long after, Gary Neville joined the club.

In May 1988, Ferguson signed Beckham, then Nicky Butt and Scholes; in that year, the Red Devils youth training camp also welcomed Savage, Ben Thornley, Gillespie, John O'Kane and others.

In June 1988, Ferguson bought Lee Sharpe and began to directly introduce young rookies.

Lee Sharpe was bought directly by Ferguson with a transfer fee, so he is often considered to be the first youth player signed by Ferguson after he coached the Red Devils, but in fact, Giggs was. And if we only talk about the use of young people, Lee Martin and Robins used by Ferguson were the earliest batch.

After Ferguson signed Giggs, it immediately triggered a news boom, and the Red Devils' youth training camp became extremely lively.

The famous Red Devils Class of 92 in football history began with Giggs.

Gary Neville was born on February 1975, 2 in Burleigh, Greater Manchester, and was born and raised in Manchester. Gary has been a Manchester United fan since he was a toddler. When he was just learning to speak, his family took him to watch Manchester United games. When he was 18 years old, he became a ball boy for Manchester United. In his own words, "I will only love one team in my life, and that is Manchester United."

Gary comes from a sports family and started playing football at a very early age. This kind of talent is exactly what Ferguson wanted to recruit the most, so his joining was no surprise.

Gary's younger brother Phil Neville was born on January 1977, 1. Both brothers have good athletic talents. Phil is more talented, not only playing football, but also good at cricket, but he finally chose football and chose the Red Devils.

Gary later said: "My brother was more talented than me. I was still competing fiercely for the county team, and my brother was already playing for the England youth team. He went to Wembley in a bright sports jacket and was a real top player. There were teams that wanted to recruit me, but they were not very active; but these teams begged Phil to join and even offered excellent conditions. This is the difference, a difference I have known since I was a child."

Gary was also good at cricket, having played for Greenmount in the Bolton District League and reached professional level. His brother Phil was even better, having been selected for the England junior team earlier than Gary, and easily stood out in the team with Andrew Flintoff.

Football or cricket? That's not the question for Gary and Phil. The brothers love the Red Devils, that's the answer.

Ferguson asked the Red Devils to promote a football training program for the local community, and the age requirement was lowered to 11 years old. Gary was lucky to be selected and joined the Red Devils youth training camp in 1986.

Gary was so excited, it was like he had got the golden ticket to the chocolate factory.

Gary worked very hard in the Red Devils Youth Training Camp, and his diligence was well-known in the Red Devils Training Camp. Gary always thought that he had average football talent, and the fear of failure always spurred him, and the desire for improvement also always motivated him. This silent and short guy would practice constantly and try every way to improve himself.

The coaches were impressed by the kid, who stayed at the Cliff (the Red Devils' Cliffe base at the time) almost every day, always practicing. If no one was practicing with him, he could even pass the ball to a wall for more than an hour.

Gary's efforts were touching, and Harrison soon noticed him and called on others to learn from him. Inspired by Gary, Harrison also further increased the amount of training, so that all the Red Devil apprentices strive to reach a better level.

The extra training was hard for the children, but they were impressed by the progress that followed, and they all began to actively participate in the training.

Gary believed that hard work can make miracles happen. Under his leadership, the team that practiced together crushed those lazy guys in the game. A good atmosphere began to be gradually established in the Red Devils Youth Training Camp. The players completed various training tasks excellently and continuously improved the training standards.

Two years later, Gary's brother Phil Neville also joined the Red Devils youth team.

Like Phil, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes also joined the Red Devils this year.

Born in Salford on November 1974, 11, Paul Scholes was thin and had asthma and mild albinism. His parents were worried about whether he could survive, but the tenacious Paul did not give in to the disease. He not only overcame the disease, but also showed extraordinary talent in football. The players of the Boundary Park Youth Team still remember this skinny boy who was so magical. This small striker who seemed to fall down at the slightest breeze, dribbled past people like a ghost and shot like eating vegetables.

Scholes's outstanding football talent and the story of overcoming the terrible disease spread widely in the Salford football circle. Everyone said that this kid was simply a football freak and a real genius.

The scout quickly recommended Scholes to the Red Devils. Ferguson said, "More than one person mentioned Scholes to me. Someone told me that there was a kid who could score more than 70 goals a season. My first reaction was that it was impossible, and my second reaction was that I didn't believe it."

Ferguson sent professional scouts to find out what magic this skinny, pale-skinned, yellow-haired kid had. The scouts were also fascinated by Scholes. Harrison, the head coach of the Red Devils youth team, was very interested and went to watch Scholes' game in person. He was also shocked. Harrison recalled the situation at that time and said: "It was incredible. We felt like we had seen a ghost. Scholes showed a football talent that was completely disproportionate to his age. He had excellent skills at foot and controlled the ball very accurately. He passed people like strolling in the garden. The most surprising thing was his style of play, which was direct and concise, and everything was aimed at scoring and winning. In his mind, he could always find the most effective, easiest, and fastest route to score a goal, and he could achieve it through the simplest action. This is not the style of an Englishman, and it is even less like a child. I am sure he can succeed - if he can be healthier and stronger, or if he can ensure that he is not harmed by injuries."

Harrison said in an incredible tone, "Paul is so scary. I don't know where his football wisdom comes from. I guess he has an alien brain."

Ferguson was overjoyed and immediately decided to sign Scholes.

Ferguson later said, "Giggs alone was enough to surprise me, but Scholes' arrival made me laugh in my sleep."

After recruiting Scholes, Ferguson's only concern was his body. Compared with other children of the same age, Scholes was too thin and small. He was older than Beckham and Gary, but smaller in body. Ferguson didn't know if this little kid could grow strong and develop a physique that could compete in the game. Harrison was also worried at first, but he soon found that despite his thin body, Scholes played very fiercely, was not afraid of confrontation at all, and would not suffer any loss in confrontation.

Nicky Butt was born on January 1975, 1 in Oldham, Manchester, a neighbor of Scholes. This little guy was also gifted and became a star in the community football school very early. After playing football for student teams in Oldham and Manchester, Butt joined Manchester United's youth training camp in 21 and became a member of Class 1988.

From the timeline, the youngsters of the Red Devils Class 92 joined the team between 1986 and 1988. In addition to these iconic players, Savage, Ben Thornley, Gillespie, John O'Kane, Casper...

The first contracts of these youngsters joining the Red Devils were all signed by Ferguson himself. Since the signing of Giggs, Ferguson has tried to hold the signing ceremony on the players' birthdays. This arrangement is warm and special, making these players unforgettable for a lifetime.

On Beckham's birthday, Ferguson sent him a six-year contract in addition to a cake; on Gillespie's birthday, Ferguson invited his whole family to watch the game before presenting him with the contract; on Fletcher's 6th birthday, Ferguson celebrated with him before signing a contract... There are many more stories like this.

Ferguson treated not only the 92 generation, but other young football players as treasures as well.

Ferguson personally drove to Edinburgh to persuade Fletcher's parents, met O'Shea's parents and teachers in person, and even went to Spain to visit and invite Pique, and flew to the Apennine Peninsula to poach Rossi...

Ferguson also had many ties and connections with other English football stars. He once gave 14-year-old Joe Cole a red Devil jersey with his name and the number 10 printed on it, and almost recruited this left-wing genius. He also invited Terry to visit the Theatre of Dreams, and gave the then 12-year-old Terry a red Devil jersey and a football. He even tried to attract Gerrard to join, promising this talented child more opportunities.

Ferguson later tried to recruit Lampard. Even players like Alan Smith and Bowyer who later joined other teams, Ferguson also actively paid attention to them when they were teenagers and tried to invite them to the Red Devils for trials.

Chelsea captain and England international Terry later recalled, "When I was 14 years old, Ferguson invited me and my family to Upton Park to watch the game between the Red Devils and West Ham. We watched the game in the chairman's box. He let me sit between Paul Ince and Cantona and asked them to take care of me, explain the game to me, and make sure I could get the autographs and photos I wanted."

Terry said: "If I were not a Chelsea fan, I think I would have joined the Red Devils because of Ferguson. I went to the Red Devils for training with Beckham and received detailed and effective guidance. I will never forget how Ferguson treated my family that day. My parents were treated like kings at the Red Devils. My father always felt a little regretful because he always felt that he owed Ferguson a little bit."

Terry has kept the jersey given by Ferguson and will not throw it away even after becoming Chelsea captain.

When he joined the Red Devils, former captain Maguire talked about his earliest contact with Ferguson. It was the 2011 Youth FA Cup final. Maguire, who was 17 years old and playing for Sheffield United at the time, met the Red Devils in the final and they eventually lost 1:4. In that game, Maguire was hit in the confrontation and was diagnosed with concussion after the game. Ferguson was very concerned about Maguire at the time and called to express his condolences. Ferguson encouraged the young defender to get well soon over the phone, and also wrote him a letter and arranged for staff to send him a signed Red Devils jersey.

Maguire said in an interview, "When I received the call for the first time, I couldn't imagine that it was Ferguson on the other end of the phone. He cared about me very much, gave me a lot of encouragement, and made me feel warm and happy. My impression of the Red Devils immediately became perfect. Ferguson is really great. He did what no other coach has done."

This is Ferguson, the unique Red Devils coach.