Ex-Blue Mee can do his City family a favour

BEN MEE knows he could make himself very popular with his family if he can upset Manchester United this afternoon.

The Burnley defender was the captain of the Manchester City side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2008 and comes from a family of City fans.

So hindering United’s push for a top-four spot at Turf Moor would be very welcome indeed.

“We could do City a favour,” he admits.

“It would be pleasing if we could take points off United with the derby coming up on Thursday as well.

“That’s a big game for them and it will definitely be interesting.

“All my family have reminded me of that. My brother is a big City fan but my dad is a bit more on the fence.

“Both my granddads were blue, but I have cousins coming to the game today who are United fans.

“Where I grew up in Sale is split between City and United and I’ve got family and friends on both sides.”

Mee was taken on by City aged nine and remained at the club for 12 years. But he knew he had to move to establish his career.

After a spell on loan at Leicester, he joined Burnley, initially on loan in 2011, and he has never looked back.

Now 27, Mee is starting to establish himself in the Premier League, just like the Clarets.

“I only managed to play one game for City,” he recalls.

“I was getting into the squad and travelling with them when Mark Hughes was manager.

“But he got sacked. Roberto Mancini came in and had different ideas.

“As a young lad, I needed to work my way into the game and gain experience for a manager to be able to trust me.

“I was trying to get out for about a year before I did. It was about finding the right level. Coming in at the Championship was good for me.

“It’s been a good experience to play all these games that I’ve managed at Burnley.

“It has been a learning curve, but I’m playing in the Premier League every week and I want to carry on doing that.”

Mee’s defensive partner at Burnley is new England centre-half Michael Keane, who left Manchester United for Turf Moor.

So the question is whether the ex-Blue and the former Red could form a pairing at international level.

“I played through the age-groups,” says Mee.

“The next step is to play in the senior side. It’s taken me a bit longer than Michael, but I hope to get there in the end.

“It’s definitely an ambition of mine.

“Playing for England is the pinnacle.”