It has been reported that Manchester United winger Ashley Young has spoken of rejection by Watford.
Young kicked off his pro career with the Hornets – but only after he was initially rejected as a teenager.
“When you’re on the YTS (Youth Training Scheme) and that day comes when you’re going to be told if you’ll be kept or let go it’s horrible, particularly at such a young age,” Young told manutd.com.
“It’s one of those decisions that can make or break you. I’d been at Watford since I was 10 years old and I remember going into the meeting not knowing what was going to be said. When they told me I wasn’t going to be offered a full scholarship, my heart sank and it felt like the world had ended.
“But they turned round and said I could still come in part-time, train twice a week with the full-time boys and play at the weekend. It was up to me to go away and decide whether I wanted to continue at Watford or go to another club. I went back home that day and I don’t think I moved from the chair all day, it was tough. Mum and Dad were trying to get my spirits up but I was really upset. It took me a few days to think about it and I decided I wanted to stay – it had been the only the club I’d known. There were other clubs who wanted to take me but I felt like I wanted to stay at Watford and prove to them that I was better than they thought. Prove that I would make it into the first team.”