"It was a difficult period in my life" - The Manchester United Class of '92 hopeful Sir Alex Ferguson admired who was forced to retire at just 26

"It happened really quickly, the decision to retire.

"It was an incident that happened on a training ground.

"I was feeling low, and one day before training, I wasn't involved in the first-team.

"I went to strike a ball and there was no conviction behind it. Really, that was it.

"I thought to myself, 'What are you doing? You're wasting your time.'

"I’d lost my self respect!

"I just walked off the training ground."

Chris Casper was always going to be well equipped for the pressures which faced him when he signed for Manchester United.

Burnley-born, he grew up known as the son of Clarets legend Frank, a highly-respected figure who made nearly 250 league appearances for his hometown club over a nine-year period, later managing the side as both a caretaker and a permanent manager.

It was those Burnley links that helped a young Chris get his foot in the door at United. Club scout Joe Brown, a former first-team coach at Turf Moor, was well aware of the promising youngster as part of his job as a North West scout for Sir Alex Ferguson, a scouting network that the legendary manager was expanding to all parts of the country.

At the age of just 13, Chris was invited down to United for a trial in the school holidays, eventually making the trip a further three times before he was eventually offered the chance of a lifetime.

Despite his tender age, United essentially offered him a six-year contract. An initial two-year scholarship, with two-years as an apprentice and a two-year deal as a professional at the end of it.

Casper was a childhood Burnley fan, but it was a 'no-brainer' to snatch such an opportunity.

"Sir Alex was speaking to me, taking an interest in me," Casper told MEN Sport. "He got to know all the young players'