EX-Manchester United academy star Charlie Scott had been offered a lifeline in the Hong Kong Premier League after he was let go by the Red Devils following 14 years with them.
Scott had been with United since he was six years old and many hoped he would graduate from the U23s into the first team.
Charlie Scott in 2015, playing for United u18’sCredit: Getty – Contributor
But the opportunity did not arise and United left his footballing hopes in tatters when they released him aged 20 in 2018.
However Scott, now 23, has found new hope in Hong Kong after taking a couple years out of the game.
The Athletic report that Happy Valley FC have enquired about him, after a long wait to get a work visa, he set off last week to Asia to begin the latest chapter of his unpredictable football journey.
The academy star, from the same youth team as Marcus Rashford, found himself out of the game and working on a building site after being released.
The collapse of his football dreams left him spiralling into a depression and requiring professional counselling.
He told the Athletic in 2018: “Without my parents, I’m not even sure I would still be here today.
“There have been times when I have thought I don’t even want to be here. It got to that point.
“I used to drive down the road and I’d be thinking ‘what if I just crashed into that tree?
“I went from that high of being at a club like United to being absolutely rock bottom.”
Scott also added that close friend Rashford had been a source of constant support during his years of struggle – all the while his career was continuing to take off in the Premier League.
The midfielder was a regular in the United U23s but it began to go wrong around 2018.
He had been training with the first-team and worked well with Ryan Giggs, United legend and Louis van Gaal’s assistant.
But he said the culture shifted upon Jose Mourinho’s arrival when his first-team chances began to look slim.
He added: “He (Mourinho) didn’t even call you by your name. He just called you ‘kid’.
“Normally, he didn’t come out to watch training and just left it to his coaches.”
Scott spent his final 6 months contracted with United on loan at Hamilton in Scotland before being let go.
A string of trials at lower-league clubs did not result in anything and Scott found himself falling out of love with the game.
But now, two years on, he will be hoping to make it big in Hong Kong and get his career back on track.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
