Manchester United make brilliant gesture to academy youngsters

After more than two months without training Man Utd have written to all of the youngsters in their academy and sent them a gift.

Manchester United have written to all of the youngsters in their academy set-up to encourage them to maintain their efforts and inspire them away from football.

The club sent out letters to the children last week and included a free gift as well, with a signed image and motivational message from Bryan Robson, a club bag and a football.

United's academy sides haven't been together since the football season was suspended in mid-March and the country went into lockdown to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Academy coaches have maintained contact with the youngsters and they've now sent them all letters to thank them for their own individual efforts over the previous eight weeks.

In the letter academy staff write: "From the perspective of the academy and its staff we have been overwhelmed with how you have all faced up to the challenge; shown a positive attitude, kept smiling, got creative, looked out for other people, shown bravery and demonstrated kindness. Well done."

The letter also encourages the youngsters to have fun as well as continue to practice their football skills. A total of 180 letters and gifts were sent out to players between the Under-8s and the Under-16s.

A further 166 will be sent out next week to children on the emerging talent programme.

The letter adds: "What the last eight weeks has reminded the academy staff is that it's so easy for us to get so focused on passing drills, feedback meetings, signing registration forms, measuring your height, retain and release decisions, selecting tour squads...that we can lose track of how lucky we are to be surrounded by an amazing group of talented young individuals.

"Not just talented football players but talented people. Children who speak languages, write poetry, carry out research, draw, paint, play music, look after their gran, keep fit, make videos, write letters, help their parents around the house, cook a meal, bake a cake, design their own training sessions and invent new skills.

"Academies don't measure all this stuff, but it is these things that make who you are and ultimately it will be these things that make you successful in life."