Manchester United are known for producing good talent, but there will always be players who fell through the cracks.
In 2001, club legend Sir Alex Ferguson honored seven United youngsters for their praise.
“We have some great prospects at Old Trafford,” he said.
“Darren Fletcher, who we hope will get over his broken leg, is good.
“Michael Stewart and Luke Chadwick are doing very well, and John O’Shea is doing well too.
“There’s a young leftist named Paul Tierney who is fine, as is Danny Pugh. But there’s a boy who’s started now, he’s 16, named Kieran Richardson.
“He will be a fantastic player.”
So what happened to these great prospects?
Kieran Richardson
(Image: PA)
After a year at the United Academy in 2001/02, Richardson began making first team appearances in the 2002/03 season.
His best campaign was in 2005-06 when he made 36 first appearances. The following year, his last at United, he made 24.
This was followed by five seasons in Sunderland, two apiece in Fulham and Aston Villa.
His last campaign of the season took place in Cardiff, where he only appeared six times.
In his heyday, Richardson won eight international matches in England and scored two goals.
Danny Pugh
(Image: Reuters)
Despite Ferguson’s loss of his name, the midfielder played only seven games for United’s first team.
In 2004 he moved to rival Leeds, who were in the championship at the time, and spent two seasons there before moving to Preston North End.
Impressive in Deepdale, Pugh was picked up by Stoke and was on their books for five seasons – even in the Premier League.
A return to Leeds in the championship followed, as did the Spells on Wednesday in Sheffield, Coventry City, Bury, Blackpool and finally Port Vale.
Pugh is still in the Vale today and has taken on a coaching position.
John O’Shea
(Image: AFP / Getty Images)
One of the most successful names on this list. O’Shea certainly played his part at United.
The utility spent 12 years at Old Trafford and was only loaned out twice to begin with.
The Irishman made 393 appearances for United and scored 15 goals – including a delicious chip against Arsenal.
O’Shea won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League at United.
He also registered 118 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
Seven seasons at Sunderland followed before retiring at Reading, where he is now the first team manager.
Paul Tierney
(Image: action pictures)
As the 2001/02 Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year winner, things didn’t go quite as predicted for Paul Tierney.
Newcastle United (a) – Premier League, October 17
Paris St. Germain (a) – Champions League, October 20
Chelsea (h) – Premier League, October 24th
RB Leipzig (h) – Champions League, October 28th
arsenal (h) – Premier League, November 1st
Istanbul Basaksehir (a), Champions League, November 4th
Everton (a) – Premier League, November 7th
After zero appearances in the Premier League for United and three loan games in Crewe, Colchester and Bradford City, Tierney was released in 2005.
Tierney spent time in Livingston, Blackpool and Stockport and was never really impressive.
His last play spell came with Altrincham, who was not in the league, but it lasted less than a month.
Michael Stewart
(Image: Allsport)
Stewart spent between 1997 and 2005 on the Manchester United books, playing eight league games.
The midfielder had loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Hearts before joining Hibernian permanently.
Stewart was luckier in Scotland, playing 54 league games on Easter Road before joining rival Hearts.
It was followed by three seasons with 87 appearances when he left the club in 2010 by mutual agreement.
A move to Turkish team Genclerbirligi followed, but an injury Stewart left in January because the club had broken his contract.
Stewart spent his final season in Charlton and made eight appearances.
He won four international matches in Scotland.
Stewart made a number of expert appearances after the game but was suspended by BBC Scotland earlier this year after making comments on the Rangers’ media officer.
Luke Chadwick
(Image: PA)
Chadwick played 39 games in all competitions for United between 1999 and 2004 before moving to West Ham.
The midfielder had a promise to play 22 times in the 2000/01 season alone. He just couldn’t crack it.
Spells followed in Stoke, Norwich, six seasons at MK Dons and two at Cambridge United.
He put on his playing shoes in 2015 and stayed at Cambridge as a coach.
Recently, Chadwick exposed the abuse he has endured as a player because of his appearance.
“They only abused me for how I looked,” he said. “That was tough. I felt very bad about myself.”
Darren Fletcher
(Image: AFP / Getty Images)
Rival O’Shea as the most respected name on this list. With a whopping 342 appearances between 2002 and 2015, Fletcher won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Champions League.
Unfortunately, ulcerative colitis bothered his final years at Old Trafford.
The Scot spent two and a half seasons at West Brom and two more at Stoke before hanging up his boots.
He also made 80 appearances for Scotland.
Fletcher is now often seen as an expert alongside Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes.
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