Old boys go back to their roots to honour Sale United’s captain of the year (From Messenger Newspapers)

Manchester City starlets honour Sale United’s captain of the year

2:23pm Sunday 24th February 2013 in Sport

TWO Manchester City starlets returned to their grassroots club to present an award to Sale United’s captain of the year.

Shay Facey and Greg Leigh, now both 18-years-old, started their football careers in the same team at Sale United, where they were were scouted by Manchester City.

Both the highly-rated City academy players have already represented England.

On their first return to Sale United in nine years last Wednesday (February 20) they were quick to thank the management team at Sale United for giving them the help in their early years.

Their coach at the time Keith Jones stepped down from coaching just a couple of years ago but his son Ben - a former team-mate of Shay and Greg’s - is still at Sale United as a coach to the Under 7s.

Shay and Greg offered to present the award to Sale United’s captain of the year, Nathan Bradbury, who skippers the Under 13s.

His team manager, Mike Hurst, nominated Nathan for the award, saying:” Nathan is a very mature captain who does all the warm ups before league matches.

He is highly respected by players and parents. He carries out every aspect of his role without having to be reminded and with dignity, win or lose. He helps put out corner flags and ‘Respect’ barriers without being asked and also helps setting out marker cones during training.

"He has great influence on his team-mates in a game, encouraging them to keep their heads up when losing, which more often than not has resulted in the team winning. He never misses a training session or a match, making sure his homework is completed beforehand.

"He has been at Sale United since he was five, when he joined the “Gimme 5s” program.”

In addition to his captain of the year trophy Nathan also received a ‘Champions League’ match ball.

Two other nominees, Adam Jesudasen, aged nine, and Ben Preston, aged 14, also received Champions League match balls, which were donated by Manchester United. Club chairman Colin Dowdy said that all three were worthy of the accolade as they were representing the club in the best possible manner, setting a good example to their team-mates.

And Nathan’s team-mates had every reason to be happy when it was announced that in recognition of his achievement the whole team would receive a brand new kit, part sponsored by Cooper Sports, Tatton Road, Sale.

During the award presentation Shay and Greg answered questions about their lives as professional footballers and gave hope for the future of the Sale United players that attended saying that it was hard work which had seen them succeed in playing football as a profession.

Following the presentation they stayed for a short while to sign autographs and pose for photographs.