The likes of Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are calling the shots at Salford City but they were left stunned when a former manager wasn’t convinced by a Manchester United player
The Class of 92, the co-owners of Salford City, “couldn’t f***ing wrap their heads around” why their joint managers didn’t want a Manchester United trialist.
Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley were appointed by Gary Neville and co when they were several leagues from League Two as they embarked on their rapid rise through non-league. Johnson and Morley had a history of promotions at that level and were hired – but immediately butted heads with the Manchester United legends.
Neville, his brother Phil, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt had bought in young right-back Sadiq El Fitouri shortly before Johnson and Morley arrived when they were in the Northern Premier League North Division. El Fitouri was a United trialist at the time, but wasn’t fancied by the managers, which threw the co-owners.
Johnson told the I Had Trials Once podcast: “That was one of our first problems. That game that we came to watch, what [caretakers] Scholesy and Phil Neville managed, Sadiq El Fitouri made his debut. So they went âwhat do you think?’ And we went âwell it’s January, he’s a good player, but we need lads who can defend and run’.