Solskjaer joins elite company
United Manager equals Busby’s record for youth player selections
We’ve been expecting big changes to the United lineup and Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has help true to those rumors. Yesterday Teden Mengi came on as a substitute becoming the eighth player from the Academy to get make a first team debut. That ties a 67-year-old single season mark set by the legendary Sir Matt Busby.
Mengi has had a promising season with the youth squad, captaining the squad to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.
Busby gave eight Academy players their debut way back in the 1952/53 season. Among the youngsters who made their debut back then were John Doherty, Duncan Edwards, Bill Foulkes, Eddie Lewis, Les Olive, David Pegg, Jackie Scott, and Dennis Viollet.
Brandon Williams was the first youth to feature for United in the Carabao Cup in September. The other youth who’ve appeared this season are Di’Shon Bernard, Ethan Laird, Dylan Levitt, Ethan Galbraith, Largie Ramazani, and D’Mani Mellor.
Legendary United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson called-up six youth players on four separate occasions (1994/95, 1997/98, 1999/00, and in 2011/12).
Jose Mourinho also gave six Reds in the Academy ranks the chance to play for the senior squad in the 2016/17 season. That was also the last time United won a trophy capturing their first Europa League title. (JSL)
