Jesse Lingard has recalled one incident where he saw one of his family members receive a ban for what they did during a Manchester United youth match.
The 31-year-old former Manchester United star rose through the ranks of the youth academy before breaking into the first team at Old Trafford.
Jesse Lingard made 232 first-team appearances for the Red Devils and the former United player scored 35 times and picked up 20 assists for the club.
The ex-England international left Old Trafford in 2022 after his contract expired and signed for Nottingham Forest, with Lingard spending only one season at the club.
Lingard’s brief spell with Nottingham Forest ended in 2023 and he spent several months as a free agent amid uncertainty around his future at the time.
However, the former Three Lions star made his return to football in 2024 after he completed a free transfer to K League 1 side FC Seoul back in February.
Lingard opens up on Man Utd incident
Speaking in his column for The Times, Jesse Lingard opened up about his life at Manchester United and also his experiences away from the football pitch.
The FC Seoul star also talked up his current experiences in South Korea after signing for the K League 1 outfit, with Lingard making 21 appearances so far.
Lingard shared one memory from his time at United involving his grandfather, who played an active role in his youth career at the Red Devils.
He admitted that his grandad was on the receiving end of a ban after he “came on to the pitch” and told the kids they “weren’t fit to wear the United shirt.”
“Let me tell you about them [his grandfather and grandmother],” Lingard said.
“Grandad is a character, a UK champion powerlifter who took me to an Astroturf pitch and taught me the basics of football when I was little, and drove me up and down the motorway to youth games.
“No matter if it was snowy, windy, raining, he’d be there on the touchline. Though he got banned one time.
“It was a Manchester United Under-12 game — Stoke away — and we weren’t doing well.
“He came on to the pitch and told us kids we weren’t fit to wear the United shirt!”
Lingard talks up his nan’s influence
Lingard revealed that his nan, Pamela Lingard, was a “calmer” presence than his granddad and also played her part in his footballing journey.
“Nan was calmer, more of a rock,” he continued.
“She’d do anything for me. Once, she took me on the train to London because United were playing Newcastle in the FA Cup final.
“We couldn’t afford tickets for the game, but we stood outside Wembley Stadium to mix with the fans.”
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/WQZHXLl