‘I played for Man United under Sir Alex Ferguson – & now work on a building site’

Sir Alex Ferguson gave debuts to a slew of Manchester United graduates, many of whom went on to become household names.

That isn’t always the case, with many players having to leave Old Trafford to make a name for themselves elsewhere. That was the case for Lee Roche, who played in the Champions League against Deportivo La Coruna in 2003.

The Red Devils were assured of European qualification, but Roche’s appearance would be his only on the European stage, and his time in Manchester would soon come to an end, beginning a downward spiral that would eventually lead to his retirement at the age of 27.

He now works on a construction site and is reluctant to discuss his past. Roche progressed through United’s youth system, spending time on loan at Wrexham in the early 2000s before making five appearances for Ferguson, including one as a starter against Arsenal in the League Cup.

Roche joined Burnley in 2003, then Wrexham two years later before joining non-league Droylsden in 2007, where he spent the next four years of his career.

Now 42, he admits that he did not expect his career to end the way it did, especially given the Red Devils’ track record of developing academy players.

“Definitely not,” he told LFETV. Especially when you join a club like Manchester United. You believe you’ll be playing football until you’re 35. Because of the way things have turned out, I’ve had to work; I’ve been here for nearly three years, and it’s a bit different from playing football, but you just have to get on with it.

Roche’s other appearance in the famous red shirt came against Newcastle, which meant he had to face the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, Alan Shearer. Ferguson was quick to offer advice after the legendary figure got the better of him.

“I did okay, but I remember Sir Alex talking to me afterwards because Alan Shearer had beaten me at the far post to win a header, so he told me to get up first and not let the forwards do that to me,” he told Planet Football.

“I remember being in an airport after that and someone asked me for an autograph thinking I was Nicky Butt, so I signed it!”

Roche was supported by the PFA after he left football, and he is now a qualified plumber with his own cavity wall insulation business. The former footballer also believes that players should have back-up plans in place that will allow them to find work outside of football if their careers end unexpectedly.

“I’ve had a few fellow workers on the construction sites ask me about United and how I ended up here,” he explained. It can get tiring, so I’m not going to brag about my time with United. I believe that young players today should be forced to train as something in order to gain experience in the real world.

“Most of them probably don’t have a plan to fall back on if they don’t make it as a professional.”