Reserve Regrets

[J'can]

With all this talk about hanging on to some reserve younger players versus letting them go, and with the current crop of reserves we have in Wellbeck, Gibson Possebon, Macheda etc etc. it got me thinking.

Part A: Can anyone tell me of any reserves or other player that we sold, let go that have been sucessful (even moderately so)?

Part B: Are there any that we regret letting go?

Part A Rossi comes to mind as he has some measure of success at Villareal...........

What can you come up with?

[sdotsom]

A) For me, I'd say Ebanks-Blake has done well, fired goals in left and right for Wolves and got them promoted. Chris Eagles has done quite well for Burnley, especially in some cup competitions. Ryan Shawcross has been a solid defender for Stoke, and always chips in with some set piece goals. Phil Bardsley was almost a first team fringe guy, played a few CL games for us, but was mainly a reserve - he's done well for Sunderland, captained them against us I believe.

B) I'm not sure, tbh. Others would have to decide that. Of the players listed above, there's no regret in the sense that we always had other options at those positions.

[jeff070]

Ebanks blake would be the one, the kid would have helped us enormously i think... I hate when we let reserves are let go ... some players are late bloomers..

[Motterman]

Has DS ever gotten over David Jones? :p

[Republic of Mancunia]

How recently/far back are we talking?

Part A:

The younger players aside, Robbie Savage is arguably the most high profile one we've let go under Fergie. Keith Gillespie has had a decent career too. Obviously neither of them has hit massive highs but both have had solid careers in the top flight and played a bit of international football. You could include David Healy too, I suppose, although he was just shy of 20 when he signed and didn't actually spend a great deal of time in our reserves.

In my time watching United, David Platt (released by Ron Atkinson) was the most successful off the top of my head. Won the double with Arsenal, UEFA Cup with Juve, the Coppa Italia with Sampdoria, became quite a high profile player at Italia '90 and had a series of big money moves/England caps.

Part B:

I'm not exactly sure on Peter Beardsley's status whilst he was at the club, whether he was a reserve player in the main, or just injured alot during his (not so long) time at United which would explain his lack of appearances. Only played the one League Cup match, that I do know. He certainly wouldn't count as a youth player as he would have been around 21 when we signed him, however, if he was stuck in the reserves through him not being rated and subsequently let go then he'd have to go down as a regret. Not that I was old enough to know who he was or even what a regret was when he was moved on, but you know what I mean!

Ended up being a very good player indeed imo, and outside of United players was one of my favourites to watch as a child.

[J'can]

As far back as you like as long as you think it would contribute to the discussion. As I read RoM response I realized that I may not be in tune to some of the players that have come through ala Savage and Platt :eek: so thanks for the response.

Changing the parameters mid stream - Expand to older players if you like and go as far back as you like.

PS Add Beardsley to my list above (I read Bardsley at first glance). I had no idea that Beardlsey was tied to United at one point. Wonderful player enjoyed watching him with Barnes and McMahon and Rush

[biro]

I'm pretty sure David Healy came to us at 16, I remember him playing for the B & A teams before playing for the reserves. And while he may be succesful at international level he's never transferred that form to playing top flight club football.

We'll see how good Ebanks-Blake does in the premiership next year. Is he a top class striker or is he just a player who does well in the Championship? Only time will tell.

[yikchi]

What about Gerard Pique? I am surprise no one mentioned him yet.
J. Evans has done very well but I think we could still use a guy like Pique, or do people think he is too "soft" for the EPL?

[sdotsom]

I liked Pique alot, but I still think he can be undone by pace, even moreso than Vidic. He started off a bit poor at Barca, but he's moved into the side and done much better as of late.

[Vermont Red]

I can't go back very many years but other than Rossi its hard to think of a player on whom Fergie was wrong, that is was of MUQ but was sold. When Fergie decides to sell, again Rossi excepted, its because the player is not good enough.

Understand that this does not mean that the players couldn't have contributed in some way, just that they weren't sufficiently special to keep around.