Beckham: I will always support United

The Manchester United legend is the subject of 'Beckham', a four-part look into his life and career, focusing on his rise through the ranks with his boyhood idols and helping the club earn sustained success under Sir Alex Ferguson, including winning the Treble in 1998/99.

Younger fans can get an in-depth insight into what made the midfielder tick and how he coped with adversity and extraordinary pressures to deliver on the pitch for club and country, eventually becoming England captain and writing his name into Reds folklore.

We travelled down to the premiere in London and grabbed a word with the man himself, one of our most iconic no.7s and currently the co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami.

It was clear that his love and passion for United, the team his father Ted has followed home and away, remains undimmed.

When asked why the Reds are such a special club, he replied: "Because it was my club. It was the club that I supported from a young kid. It is the club that I support now. It is the club I will always support.

"It was my dad's club growing up, obviously he was a Sir Bobby [Charlton] fan over the years. That's why my [middle] name is Robert.

"So it was embedded in me from a very young age.

"It is just a special club," he enthused, during the event to promote a mini-series that is already proving hugely popular with the channel's subscribers. "The moment I signed for United was the moment I knew my dream had come true, to play for the team my dad supported and I supported.

"I've lots of special memories and it's all in the documentary but, more importantly, it's all in my head and that's the most important thing."

Beckham left for Real Madrid in 2003, after scoring on his final appearance, at Everton, as he celebrated a sixth Premier League title triumph with Sir Alex's men.

In our latest episode of The Debate, former team-mates David May and Ben Thornley discuss the documentary and their relationship with the Old Trafford favourite.

Thornley grew up with David, as a member of the fabled Class of '92, and said: "All I remember about Becks was that he was completely different to everyone else, in that he'd come up from London and had this aura about him, where he was a little bit flash, which he continued to a whole new level. But he was a fantastic lad off the pitch and a great player on it.

"Somebody who had tremendous ability but wanted to work extremely hard to maximise that ability, and he got his rewards for it, on the field, and off it as well. I wish him nothing but the best with everything. I've been watching it, like everyone else will be, and people shouldn't forget, despite his wealth and fame, and famous wife, he got to where he is today because he worked extremely hard, as well as having the talent.

"Yes, he was surrounded by really good players and a fantastic manager but he worked extremely hard and he was great to grow up with."

May added: "He was a chirpy little Cockney but I would say, if you're looking at somebody as a role model, in how to play football, how to train, how to look after yourself, then nobody is better than Becks. The goals he scored, the free-kicks he scored, were not because of ordinary turning up and playing. It was the amount of practise he did, day in and day out. People don't see the amount of effort, determination and work put into that."

Fans around the world have also been reacting to 'Beckham' and the chance to reminisce about a player who married exceptional technical ability with a relentless work-rate.

Posting on our Facebook page, read below for a selection of some of the comments:

Janine Mary Louise: "It's awesome. Brought back childhood memories of hanging out at The Cliff with an ice-lolly, watching them train. I remember meeting Beckham the same day as Cantona. Shaking their hands, I refused to wash them for the rest of the day! Shame what he had to go through though. I was literally devastated when he left."

Quentin Sipe: "It's one of the best sports documentaries I've ever seen."

Jean Bringloe: "Brilliant sports documentary. He went through a lot in his career but still has come out as a decent, caring family man." 

Neil Neeson: "Loved it, it brought back some great memories and some sad ones."

'Beckham' is available to watch now on Netflix.