Chadwick: I take my Premier League medal on nights out!
Former United winger Luke Chadwick has revealed that he always takes his Premier League winner's medal with him on nights out in Cambridge.
The Academy graduate was part of our 14th top-flight success, in 2000/01, making 16 appearances as Alex Ferguson's side eased to a third consecutive triumph.
And, in the latest MUTV Group Chat, the 39-year-old admitted he keeps his piece of silverware very close at hand, in case he needs to remind anyone of his achievements.
MUTV Group Chat: Luke Chadwick Video
MUTV Group Chat: Luke Chadwick
Former Red Luke Chadwick joined today's Group Chat, and spoke eloquently about the importance of mental health...
"I don't go out as much anymore," he confessed to Stewart Gardner, "but if I go out on a night out in Cambridge on a Friday night, I'll always have my medal on under my blazer so I'm ready to show everyone!"
The Cambridgeshire native remarked that just being around the squad was a privilege, and highlighted his two goals that season as his greatest United memories.
The Cambridgeshire native remarked that just being around the squad was a privilege, and highlighted his two goals that season as his greatest United memories.
“Winning the league was an incredible one,” he explained. “If I wasn't there, I'm pretty sure they still would have won the league that season! But just being part of it, just being around it... You probably don't appreciate it as much as a young lad like I was. But it's something that I'll certainly tell the grandkids about.
“I think the two best moments would have been scoring two goals – one at Bradford and one at Leeds. I remember the one at Leeds clearly.
“Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] had shot and Nigel Martyn was in goal – he was one of the best keepers in the league – but somehow he dropped it and I was just running in, my eyes just lit up thinking: even I can't miss this one, I'm going to tap it in! And then I ran off like an absolute lunatic! So that was probably the best moment.”
Chadwick had joined the club as a 14-year-old, after Ferguson had made it crystal clear just how badly the club wanted Luke's services.
“I remember going up on trial, as a 14-year-old, and by the time I'd got home he'd phoned my mum up to see if I'd sign for the club,” he recalled.
“But I don't think it was just me – he'd do that for everyone. I was in the club as a first-team player or in the first-team squad, and there'd be Under-10 and Under-11 Academy boys in the canteen, and he'd know everyone's name.
“He'd know what their parents were called, he'd know where they were from. It was those details: the way that he'd treat the dinner ladies and the kit men as well as he'd treat the top players like Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs.
“He had everyone pulling in the same direction that had to want to work extra hard and, for me, that is the genius of the man, and why the club has had such incredible success there.”
Chadwick left in 2004 to join West Ham United, after making 39 first-team appearances between 1999 and 2002.
In 2015, he returned to Old Trafford to play against the Reds for his hometown club Cambridge United in an FA Cup fourth-round replay, which United won 3-0.
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