Bruno Fernandes admits the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award is a 'special trophy' but the Manchester United midfielder is more concerned with fulfilling on-pitch objectives.
'I lost the fun' - Manchester United hopeful reignited his love for the game by helping others 11,000 miles from home
29.04.2023 - 04:51 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
"My biggest fear always, and I used to lose sleep over this, was 'what after football?' I look back, and my goal was to always make it as a professional in England. But now, I wouldn't swap that for this."
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It's nearing 11pm in Auckland, New Zealand, when Adam Thurston picks up his phone to reflect on his time spent at Manchester United.
He is over 11,000 miles from his family home, but the 28-year-old still possesses the same Stockport twang that has been in his accent since he was a child who only ever dreamed of playing for United.
Thurston spent eight years at the club before he was released at the age of 16, one of the thousands of young people who every year are faced with the harsh reality of their childhood dreams crashing to an end.
Read next: 'I've had plenty of injuries in my time, but by far the worst was in my head' - Tom Thorpe on making it at United and why he quit for five years
Over a decade later, he is now living a dream he didn't even know he had. Settled down with partner Amy and their eight-month-old twins, he has forged a new career in the Southern Hemisphere, still playing football, as well as coaching the next generation of young hopefuls, as they try to make strides in the game.
Thurston grew up playing for Cheadle and Gatley and got used to winning 'everything' at youth level. It was perfect preparation for an upbringing at United that started when he was eight.
"I used to get invited to The Cliff a lot. There used to be hundreds of us. At the time, I thought I was just training. But really, they are already looking at your skills and how far they think you can go. You just kept getting invited back until one day they didn't want you anymore."
Thurston was a boyhood United fan
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