Teenage starlet Brandon Williams has revealed his family thought he was joking when he was handed a late call-up for Manchester United ’s glory night at Paris Saint-Germain a year ago.
The 19-year-old left-back was a little-known first-year professional when he was asked to join the travelling party for the Champions League clash last March, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad decimated by injury.
United won 3-1 and went through to the quarter-finals on away goals on an astonishing night in Paris, having lost the first leg of the last-16 tie 2-0.
Since then, Williams – who didn’t make the bench that night – has become a regular performer for Solskjaer.
“It was my first time travelling with the first team,” said Williams. “I didn’t know until about three hours before the flight. It was something new, something different.
“I was seeing everyone up close, seeing how they prepare for games. I’d never seen Man United before like that, so it was special.
“It was just excitement, I rang my family straight away. They didn’t believe me! I had to convince them and then I had to go and get my suit and get ready to go!”
This season, Williams is the youngest defender to have played more than 700 minutes in the Premier League.
Academy players have hit 50 per cent of United’s goals, with Marcus Rashford the leading scorer on 19 – and Williams reckons it’s the reward for Solskjaer’s trust in his youngsters.
“Yeah, you can tell how much game time and impact that young players have, to be honest,” said the Manchester-born England Under-20 star. "If you have trust in them they’ll provide, they’ll take the chance.”
Fellow Old Trafford defender Axel Tuanzebe is proud to be part of Solskjaer’s youth brigade.
And he reckons the young stars can be the bedrock of United’s future.
Tuanzebe said: “We have a great group of lads coming through, from the oldest Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay, to the youngest Angel Gomes, Jimmy Garner, Mason Greenwood and Brandon.”
- Williams and Tuanzebe were speaking on United Hangout. Watch episodes on the club’s official website and mobile App www.manutd.com/ and www.manutd.com/official-app.
