The man Manchester United repeatedly tried to sign before turning their attentions to Eric Cantona stands on the touchline of a training-ground pitch in December 2016.
Sheffield Wednesday’s under-18s are leading Barnsley 2-1 with around 10 minutes to go and David Hirst, a legend in the eyes of Wednesday fans, grimaces slightly as the home side’s star centre-forward fails to get on the end of a right-wing cross. “George should be getting to the back post there,” he muses.
The number nine in question is George Hirst, the former England international’s son, who has already bagged one goal that morning and would go on to score 40 in total for club and country at youth level in 2016-17.