United thrive on all fronts

THE man in the windjammer and golf cap sheltering from the rain made no attempt to hide his delight as a goal ripped into the net at The Cliff.

Sir Bobby Charlton has a habit of turning up unexpectedly. United's winning goal and the standard of the performance delighted him.

He enjoyed watching the B team. And he enjoys watching the A team and the Reserves as much as the first team whose capture of the Premiership League title for the fourth time in five years made it a unique four-timer for the club.

United sides have never won all four titles before; First team, second team, third team and fourth team. The quality of the footballers assembly line emerging from the Cliff, beside the site of the old Manchester racecourse threatens to invite an inquiry by the Monopolies Commission.

Alex Ferguson was unhappy about United's junior set-up 10 years ago. Since then coaches like Eric Harrison who runs the A team, B team manager Neil Bailey and Jimmy Ryan have created and maintained a successful progression of young players.

"You must love the game first," says Charlton, "and then you must love Manchester United. But our staff have the knack of improving by coaching and getting the best out of players by coaxing.

"The secret seems to be knowing when to get the whip out and when to offer a carrot. Discipline is strict and youngsters who step out of line soon know about it."

Eric Harrison left Everton in 1981. Since then his A team have won their top section of the Lancashire League 10 times never finishing out of the top two, and scoring 108 goals in 28 games to win the latest title with 11 points to spare.

Harrison does not believe there is any sophisticated secret in producing young players who can play football well as individuals and as a team.

"We're lucky in that most of the youngsters who join us have already shown outstanding ability," he says. But from the beginning we like to encourage a pattern that will form the basis of their game up to senior level."

Charlton, an emerging talent at senior level in his late teens, believes the close contact with senior players of vast experience and seeing them work, is a vital inspiration to developing players.

"Many players played important roles in our senior championship," says Charlton, "but you always look at the old heads. You need experience in any team and it is essential for the seniors to help the younger ones.

"That has always been encouraged at Old Trafford, never more so than by Sir Malt at the beginning and by Alex Ferguson in recent years.

"You want to play for Manchester United. When you want to play for a team and enjoy playing for it, success is so much easier."

Ferguson has a massive transfer fund which he will not hesitate to tap if or when "the right player" becomes available. But United are already shaping teams of the future by teaching tactical discipline and "shape" and encouraging self expression. They have found a productive balance.