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highlighted the subscriptions our members get the most value from. The former Republic of Ireland skipper entered the world of management with the Black Cats in 2006

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The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Fantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more. Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off! Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. When Phil Bardsley came up through the Manchester United ranks in the early 2000s, his academy cohort had the perfect set of role models to follow, as the iconic ‘Class of 92’ had been living the dream and conquering English football in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. But this would also prove to be a double-edged sword, as to establish themselves in the Red Devils starting XI, it would mean finding a way past perhaps the most famous batch of homegrown players in the modern era. Bardsley made his Manchester United debut in a December 2003 League Cup clash, but would only go on to make 18 appearances for the club amid a series of loan spells before he left Old Trafford for good in 2008.

“Even now, there’s still a bit of me that wished I could have played more games for United, but a certain Gary Neville was blocking my path, ” Bardsley tells Four Four Two. “And on the few occasions he was unavailable, Sir Alex Ferguson could call upon his brother Phil or Wes Brown. “I had a few loan moves at Royal Antwerp, Burnley, Rangers, Aston Villa and Sheffield United, but it was only after I joined Sunderland that I could put United behind me and start standing on my own two feet. ” Get VIP Manchester United tickets HERE with Seat Unique! Manchester United's hospitality offers comfortable, padded seating in the North West Quadrant. The package includes a concourse meal deal (hot food, drink, and snack) and the official matchday programme. Guests also receive a 10 per cent Megastore discount and non-matchday Museum entry, providing a great value, family-friendly match experience for home fans. That move to Sunderland came in 2008, when he was signed by his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane, who had guided the Black Cats into the Premier League two years earlier. “It was weird actually, ” Bardsley recalls to Four Four Two when asked about the move. “I’d sat down with Sir Alex, who knew that I needed to be playing more regularly and actively helped me find a new club. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. “Quite a few were sniffing but I’d set my heart on linking up with Roy on Wearside, even though he wasn’t in a position to sign me immediately. I spent the first half of the season on loan at Sheffield United knowing that in the New Year, I’d be off to Sunderland. Even today, I’m asked what it was like to have Roy as my manager. “The truth is we had a very good relationship – still have. I think he likes me as a person and the feeling is mutual. From a young age at United, he was always on my case – very firm but fair. He always wanted me to do well and I’d like to think I justified his faith in me. “I really felt Sunderland were going places with him in charge, but things can change so quickly in football and when results dipped, Roy was off. ”

Bardsley soon found himself working under another former Red Devils when Steve Bruce took over at the Stadium of Light. “And later, at Stoke, Mark Hughes was my gaffer too, ” Bardlsey continues. “It’s funny how things work out. I didn’t get off to the best of starts with Brucie as I was having a bit of a contract issue with the chairman, Niall Quinn, and had a bit of a sulk. “But I soon got my arse back into gear, managed to win over Steve and we ended up having a great season. We finished 10th and that should have been the start of something special, but once again we couldn’t keep it up. ” For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and Leeds Live among others and worked at Four Four Two throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

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