I said no to Manchester United and was in League One a month later - I made a massive mistake

Not many people can say they have played for Manchester United. For those that can, whether you played 963 times like Ryan Giggs, or once like Kieran Lee, the honour of pulling on the famous shirt is exactly the same.

Daniel Nardiello managed four matches. The forward burst onto the scene with Wolves and played for the FA's School of Excellence at Lilleshall at the age of 14. Having impressed for his club, it wasn't a surprise when rival teams started to show an interest in him - and when United came calling, it was difficult to ignore.

United were winning trophies for fun at that time, but Sir Alex Ferguson was always keen for the academy to strengthen and improve with emerging talent. The Reds were one of several sides interested in Nardiello, but the lure of one day playing under the lights at Old Trafford - for the most famous manager in world football - was just too special to turn down.

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With Nardiello registered under schoolboy terms at Wolves, a Football League Appeals Committee ordered United to pay £200,000 compensation for his services, including other potential add-ons. On the pitch, meanwhile, it didn't take the frontman too long to progress through the ranks with the Reds, and he turned professional in October 1999.

Despite having to wait more than a year to make his debut, it finally came in November 2001. It was in a 4-0 League Cup defeat at Arsenal - as part of a much-changed United side - but for Nardiello, it was an understandably proud moment.

"Don't get me wrong, looking back at it now, from a 40-year-old's perspective, it's something I'm extremely proud of that I managed to do, not