Thursday 9 June 2016 08:12, UK
Marcus Rashford is currently preparing for Euro 2016 with England after a sensational debut season at Manchester United, but it could have been a very different campaign for the teenage forward if Crewe Alexandra had got their way.
The 18-year-old was a relative unknown when he was handed his debut in the Europa League in February, but scored twice against FC Midtjylland and followed that up with another double on his first Premier League appearance against Arsenal.
But Rashford could have been plying his trade in England's third tier if Crewe had succeeded with their bid to sign him.
Crewe first-team coach James Collins has revealed the Railwaymen enquired about taking Rashford on loan a week before he broke onto the scene, but were told he was needed for United's U21 team.
"I spoke to (United U21 coach) Warren Joyce earlier in the season about taking him on loan for us," Collins said.
"Warren said we couldn't because they needed him for their U21s. A week later he made his debut for the first team and the rest is history."
Unfortunately for Crewe, they can now only wonder whether the arrival of Rashford would have saved them suffering relegation from League One.
Rashford went onto score eight goals in 18 first-team appearances for United, earning himself a surprise call-up to Roy Hodgson's provisional Euro 2016 squad.
But after scoring just 138 seconds into his England debut, Rashford, who has since signed a new four-year deal at United, was included in the final 23-man squad for the finals in France.
Collins added: "It just shows there are good players in academies but opportunity is the key.
"Marcus Rashford could easily still be languishing in United U18s because the manager hadn't put him in.
"But whatever you say about [Louis] Van Gaal this season, he threw them in, maybe through injury. He has took his chance, fair play to the kid.
"How many other Marcus Rashfords are there out there in these academies? I think quite a lot."
