MANCHESTER UNITED were yesterday found guilty of making an illegal approach to highly rated teenager Matthew Wicks - but escaped serious punishment from the English Football Association.

Old Trafford director Maurice Watkins, United's legal expert, attended yesterday's reconvened FA hearing which followed allegations by Arsenal over Wicks, son of former Chelsea star Steve.

But United escaped with being ordered to pay the costs of two hearings after they were found guilty of breaching FA Premier League rule F20.7.

The rule states that "no club shall directly or indirectly approach any boy who is registered as an associated schoolboy with another club with a view to inducing the boy to register with such first mentioned club . . ."