Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that David Beckham once believed he was being pushed out of Manchester United after the midfielder was sent on loan to Preston North End in 1995.
David Beckham was part of United’s famous Class of ’92 alongside Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. The group had won the FA Youth Cup together and would eventually become a major part of Ferguson’s successful first team.
But Beckham’s route into that side was not as straightforward as some of his age fellows.
Sir Alex Ferguson sent him to Preston in March 1995, and the young midfielder apparently took the move as a sign that his manager did not see a future for him at Old Trafford.
Ferguson explains why Beckham needed time
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ferguson said David Beckham was simply the last of the group to physically develop.
“I put Beckham out on loan at Preston and he thought I was trying to get rid of him, which was not true,” Ferguson explained.
“David was the last to really develop because of his physique. Although he grew to 6ft, he was small and thin as a young kid.”
Ferguson’s decision clearly did not prevent Beckham from becoming an important player for United. His rise came quickly, and the club went on to win the Premier League and FA Cup in the 1995/96 season.
Looking back, the loan spell appears to have been part of Beckham’s development rather than an indication that United had lost faith in him.
For a player who would later become one of the most recognisable figures in English football, that early uncertainty offers an interesting glimpse into just how differently his career could have developed.
