Lenny Taylor: The forgotten man of Man Utd’s Class of 92

Youth Cup winner on a telling-off from Ferguson, which player was the best of the crop and that famous Lee Sharpe party

Taylor never went on to have the success that former teammates Giggs and Scholes had. PA Photo: Phil Noble.

Lenny Taylor made only a single fleeting appearance for Manchester United’s vaunted 1992 FA Youth Cup victors and never played professionally but he remains enchanted by his experience at the club.

Taylor was released by Alex Ferguson days after David Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs led Eric Harrison’s starlets to the 6-3 aggregate triumph over Crystal Palace that was the launchpad for their stellar careers. Yet 30 years later, and with close to 60,000 tickets sold for Wednesday’s final of the 2022 edition at Old Trafford between United and Nottingham Forest, Taylor exudes pride at a journey that began at a trial as a Birmingham schoolboy.