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Manchester United Send Incredible Half Term Letter To Academy Players

Manchester United Send Incredible Half Term Letter To Academy Players

The youngsters at the club received a letter to thank them for all their hard work during the pandemic and to relax during half-term.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Manchester United's academy players received a lovely letter from the club for half-term, congratulating them on their work during the Covid-19 pandemic and reminding them to take a break.

The academy at Old Trafford is well known for being one of the best for producing players, even if many of the youngsters make their name away from the club eventually, and clearly the coaches know how to look after the players.

A letter from the club to the players sent during half-term has gone viral, and it's easy to see why.

"What a crazy 8 weeks! I'm sure it has been a challenging time for you and your families. You will have had to adapt to a new way of living, create new routines, take care of vulnerable family members, cope with new and ever-changing information in the media and also keep up to speed with deadlines and work set out by your school. Not an easy experience. On top of all this I'm sure you're missing your mates.

"From the perspective of the Academy and its staff we have been overwhelmed with how you have all faced up to the challenge, shown a positive attitude, kept smiling, got creative, looked out for other people, shown bravery, and demonstrated kindness. Well done.

"This week is half-term...an opportunity to practice your skills? We've sent you a gift to try and help you out with that. We hope you like it. Consider it a 'well done' for being so positive in the past 2 months.

"As well as practice, it's important to incorporate some other things into your half-term week:

  • Relax...go on, have a lie in until lunch time!
  • Spend time with your family
  • Play on your games console...for longer than you think you should
  • Watch a movie...or why not watch a whole series on Netflix in one go
  • Eat your favourite foods...go for taste rather than how healthy it is
  • Play outdoors
  • Eat sweets
  • Speak to a friend
  • Enjoy yourself

"We know you are all faced with challenging circumstances at home...Just try one of the things on the list if you can.

"This period of time is going to be one that you remember for the rest of your life. Yes we will remember them as sad times...but hopefully you will have some positive memories too? The time when you became the generation of children, the first since 1918, to lead the way in taking on a Pandemic by showing others how to stay positive in the face of adversity?

"What the last 8 weeks has reminded the Academy staff is that it's so easy for us to get so focused on passing drills, feedback meetings, signing registration forms, measuring your height, retain and release decisions, selecting tour squads...that we can lose track of how lucky we are to be surrounded by an amazing group of talented young individuals. Not just talented footballers but talented people. Children who speak languages, write poetry, carry out research, draw, paint, play music, look after their Gran, keep fit, make videos, write letters, help their parents around the house, cook a meal, bake a cake, design their own training sessions and invent new skills.

"Academies don't measure this stuff. But it is this stuff that makes you who you are and ultimately it will be these things that make you successful in life. Being yourself and showing the world you are unique is important in a time where it is easier and sometimes desirable for you to conform and fit in with the crowd.

"Keep being yourself. You are amazing.

"The Academy Staff."

The words from United's academy staff are words many of us could learn to accept for ourselves as well, especially in these hard times.

Hopefully the letter serves as a wonderful boost to the young people in the Academy and helps push them to be the next Class of 92 or find their feet in the world somewhere else, be it in football or elsewhere.

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Topics: Football News, Manchester United, Class of 92, Premier League, Coronavirus, Covid-19