Manchester United hero Lee Sharpe made a name for himself at Old Trafford as a teenager in the late 1980s and early 1990s, although the former winger had to prove himself in the fourth tier before making the switch.
Sharpe played 14 times for Torquay in the 1987/88 season, as a 16-year-old, he scored three goals and caught the attention of the biggest clubs in England. He signed a contract to move to Manchester United for £200,000 – then a record fee for a YTS player – in April 1988 from Torquay United, although the transfer did not take place until June, when he turned 17.
As a result, Sharpe spent the final two months of the season back at Torquay. He scored two goals in his first game back for the Gulls and scored a further two at Plainmoor.
Manchester United had to wait for Lee Sharpe, even though he signed a contract for 200,000. pounds
“I made my debut this season at the age of 16 and attracted a lot of attention from clubs,” Sharpe exclusively says. FourFourTwo. “I agreed to sign for Manchester United and went there for a few days to train with the reserves and meet the first team.
“Great things were happening to me and I was very excited. I returned south to finish the season – the next game we faced Newport County on Tuesday I won 6-1, scored two goals, created two and had a particularly good game on a farmer’s pitch covered in mud and sand.
“I thought, ‘Next season I won’t be playing on many pitches like this anymore.'”
Instead, Sharpe went on to play at venues including Old Trafford, Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Highbury – the latter of which he scored a hat-trick in in 1990 during a 6-2 defeat by Liverpool. Arsenal. Even though it’s only the fourth round of the League Cup, the 19-year-old’s three-pointer against a defense consisting of Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon is very impressive.
“Arsenal’s back four and goalkeeper were absolutely incredible, so scoring six goals at Highbury showed how well we played,” adds Sharpe. “One of those nights when everything was going well, I scored a hat-trick.
“I was just flying – no one could get close to me. United fans still talk to me about that match. Performances like this don’t happen every week unless you’re there Lionel Messiso when this happens, you have to enjoy every second of it.
“Those early years at United were great. I just wanted to play football and make the manager proud of me. What I would give to go back there!”
