A special moment with Sir Alex
“Origins should never be a barrier to success” - a line from the great Sir Alex Ferguson and the ethos which Manchester United Foundation applies to all of its community work.
This is, of course, extended to the Foundation's Sport and Youth Leadership degree, delivered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, where two scholarship places – funded by the Foundation and named after Sir Alex Ferguson and fellow United icon Sir Bobby Charlton – are afforded to students each year.
This year’s scholarship students, Jack and Charley, have both demonstrated great resilience in their lives – a trait Sir Alex always admired in his players – and as a reward for what they have achieved, and their effort and application on their course, they enjoyed a very special meet and greet with the man himself!
“Come on in,” beamed Sir Alex, as he ushered the duo into a private room at Old Trafford. “Take a seat and tell me about yourselves, I want to know more about what you’ve achieved!”
“I honestly could not believe it when I found out we were going to meet him!” Jack enthused. “I mentioned Sir Alex’s quote about origins and success in my application for the Sport and Youth Leadership degree; he’s a hero of mine, so this was a dream come true.
“He was so lovely to us, so welcoming and very interested in how we’re doing on our course. Sir Alex also told us some great stories and I could have stayed there all day listening to them!”
If that wasn’t enough, the students were also taken pitchside for a photo opportunity with Sir Alex’s first club captain, and longstanding Foundation supporter, Bryan Robson, before watching United’s Premier League match against West Ham from the Directors’ Box.
Charley echoed Jack’s positive words and also spoke of how the meeting had inspired her to continue to push herself. “It was an unreal experience and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she told us.
“It was amazing to meet Sir Alex and Bryan, but also really special to be rewarded with an incredible VIP experience like this.
“It shows you what you can achieve if you apply yourself and work really hard, no matter where you come from.”
Also joining the students was Andrew Calthorpe, a United fan who has very generously supported the Foundation in recent times, including providing laptops for Jack and Charley to use on their course.
“I wanted to make a donation to a cause where I knew the money would be used well,” Andrew explained. “As a lifelong Red and season ticket holder, I am obviously aware of the impact of the Foundation, so it was a no brainer to show my support.
“It’s been a pleasure to be here today, obviously meeting Sir Alex and Bryan, but also seeing the students enjoy themselves and benefiting from something I’ve contributed to. It’s really special.”
The Sport and Youth Leadership course is currently in its second year of operation and is designed to develop students to become a coach on the training ground and a mentor in the classroom - delivered at Manchester Metropolitan University and complemented by the real-world experience provided by the Foundation.
For more information on the Sport and Youth Leadership course, please click here.