Manchester United debutant Ethan Wheatley made history on Wednesday night, becoming the club’s 250th academy graduate to make his first-team debut. The 18-year-old striker was substituted on in the 91st minute, as the Red Devils secured a 4-2 victory over Sheffield United at Old Trafford.
The landmark shows how integral youth development has been in the history of the football club since Tom Manley became the first academy player to play for United back in 1931. The Reds have now named an academy graduate in every first-team squad in 4,252 consecutive matches, an incredible achievement.
In their illustrious history, United have had a plethora of homegrown players who have gone on to forge successful careers and achieve greatness at the club. In the past, Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton, George Best, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were only a few of a long list of United legends to have come through the club’s academy.
Wheatley is one of many academy graduates to break into the first team in recent years, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Scott Mctominay and Kobbie Mainoo becoming integral players for the Red Devils.
Following his debut on Wednesday, Wheatley has become the sixth academy graduate to make his debut under current manager Erik Ten Hag. Impressively, statistics show that around 60 per cent of United’s goals this season have been scored or assisted by a homegrown player.
It was a whirlwind 24 hours for the 18-year-old Wheatley before stepping out at the Theatre of Dreams for the first time. The youngster scored two goals to help United claim Premier League under 18’s cup final victory against bitter rivals Manchester City on Wednesday night. Just a day later, he replaced Rasmus Højlund in stoppage time, on a night he will surely remember for the rest of his life.
When speaking to media after the game, the debutant said: “Nothing's really kicked in yet! It’s a great club with a massive history, especially in the academy as well. It’s just an honour to make my debut. And then that number 250 is just a little extra as well.”
However, the striker was straight back down to earth on Thursday morning, returning to the school classroom in Ashton-on-Mersey, where he is studying for a BTEC marketing extended diploma.
After the victory over the Blades, Erik Ten Hag spoke on the academy’s fantastic achievement. He said: “Everyone at Manchester United should be very proud of our record of producing so many players with the quality and character to represent this incredible club.
“All of us at Carrington feel the responsibility to build on the legacy of the Busby Babes, the Class of 92 and the many others who have contributed to the club’s fantastic history. Strengthening the pathway between the Academy and the first team has been one of my priorities as manager, and Ethan is the latest example of this process working well.”
Manchester United academy director Nick Cox acknowledged everyone who made reaching the milestone possible after the game. He said: “We owe thanks to the many talented coaches and visionary club leaders who contributed to this landmark, including James W. Gibson, Walter Crickmer, Jimmy Murphy, Sir Matt Busby, and Sir Alex Ferguson. And there are countless others behind the scenes, from scouts to kit staff, ground staff to chefs, drivers to teachers, who play a vital role in supporting our young players to maximise their potential.”
Manchester United fans will be hoping to see Ethan Wheatley reach the levels of famous United academy greats, such as the class of 92, as United continue to generate world-class talent through their prestigious academy.