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Fans React As Manchester United Reserve Goalkeeper Lee Grant Acts As Fourth Official

Fans React As Manchester United Reserve Goalkeeper Lee Grant Acts As Fourth Official

"It seems Lee Grant has had enough of being the 40th choice keeper and is the new 4th Official."

Alex Reid

Alex Reid

Manchester United fans are loving the sight of their 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper Lee Grant holding up the subs board against Newcastle.

As the likes of Juan Mata and 17-year-old Shola Shoretire were coming off the bench in Sunday's 3-1 win at Old Trafford - the latter for his senior Manchester United debut - a familiar face who is twice Shoretire's age was acting as the fourth official.

It was none other than Lee Grant: Man United's backup (backup) keeper and also goalkeeping coach.

The reason for Grant's involvement is restrictions around the pandemic, which mean that coaching staff from clubs have been holding up digital substitution boards themselves (limiting the number of people interacting or touching them on the touchline).

Duncan Ferguson was seen holding a fourth-official board in Everton's 2-0 win at Liverpool and nobody seemed to object (or maybe the referee's assistant just didn't was to ask Big Dunc for his board back).

Still the sight of the veteran stand-in keeper filling in in a highly unusual new way definitely caused a lot of joy among Manchester United fans.

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Topics: Football, Manchester United, Premier League