Many Reds stars owe him so much

I’LL never forget the letter Eric Harrison sent me on my release from Manchester United – which I’ve still got in my scrapbook at home.

He told me he believed in me as a player and never to give up. Along with my mum and dad, he was the reason I kept going and managed to forge a career for myself in the top two divisions of English football, as captain of four Premier League clubs and as a Welsh international who won 39 caps.

I will always be so thankful for the values he taught me, not just as a footballer but in life: Hard work, desire, commitment and respect.

He was a great coach but, more importantly, he was a great man – and there are so many people who wore the United shirt who owe him so much.

You can see, in the range of tributes from great players like David Beckham, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, how much the Class of ‘92, and many others, valued the character and determination he instilled in all of us.

I’ll always be thankful to Eric, and send his family my heartfelt condolences.