Paul McShane was 17, living in digs with Tom Heaton and it was nine months since he got off the plane from Ireland when he lifted the FA Youth Cup.
Almost 20 years on, he still regards it as one of the best years of his career. McShane, now 36, is back at Manchester United in an innovative player-coach role with the Under-23s.
Retirement is looming and he has not played since October, but he is enjoying the transition to full-time coach. It is another key week for the academy.
The Under-18s have the privilege of playing at Old Trafford for the second time in a month against Leicester in the quarter-finals of the Youth Cup on Thursday night, just as McShane did in the final 19 years ago.
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