From Roommate to Professor: The Journey of a Former Man Utd Starlet Who Shared Space with Beckham and Aimed to Be the Next Giggs

AN ex-Manchester United youngster who shared a room with David Beckham and was challenged to be the next Ryan Giggs by Sir Alex Ferguson has now become a university lecturer.

Richard Flash might have been a household name in another life.

A former Man Utd youngster has turned into a university lecturerCredit: Getty

Flash was a box-to-box midfielder from with an eye for goal and skill to boot, which saw him tracked by United, Liverpool, , Tottenham and .

The 49-year-old, who trained with as a youngster, was signed by twice, at Wolves and then Watford.

Indeed, so highly thought of was he that Ferguson pulled out many tricks of the trade to try and convince him to sign after he was spotted by United’s Midlands scout, Geoff Watson.

Lee Sharpe was sent to his school for a TV feature which was also designed to try and tempt him into signing, though it was ultimately a conversation between Watson and Flash’s mum that sealed his move to the Red Devils.

Speaking to the Express and Star , Flash said: “I was in the same age group as people like Michael Appleton, Terry Cooke and David Johnson.

“We’d go up and train in the school holidays and you might see Fergie or Brian Kidd who would say ‘hi’, and then we’d watch the youth or reserve teams play a game.

“I remember once sitting with ‘Johnno’ in Sir Alex’s office, when I was probably 14, just the two of us and the manager.

“He was telling us that, in four years’ time, we could be like this player they had at the time called Ryan Wilson – of course – Fergie was telling us that we were good enough and had that sort of potential.”

Flash went on to captain the Manchester Eagles, United’s Midlands feeder team.

However, injuries – including a dislocated knee which he did not tell anyone about – and their psychological repercussions ultimately led Flash down another path.

He is now a lecturer in sports business and management at the University Campus of Football Business (UFCB) in Manchester with a degree in Business and Leisure Management, a masters in Business Administration and post-graduate Certificate in Education.

His research includes English-based footballers of African and descent.

And he credits his move into academia for helping to reignite his passion for the game.

He continued: “I’d say I had some difficult times in football, and probably fell out of love a little bit, but with the research it’s all coming back now.

“I’m getting the feelings back like when I was a kid, back home in Birmingham, supporting Villa with Gary Shaw, Peter Withe, Tony Morley and the rest.

“I remember them winning the European Cup when I was eight years old, and then my brother taking me to Villa Park for the first time to see them play. It’s like reliving my childhood!

“Now, alongside my work as a lecturer, I have the opportunity to raise awareness and educate on the experiences of black players, where they have come from and what they have achieved.

“Asking those players what they did to overcome the barriers they experienced, how they overcame racism, and using the contacts I made from football to build those conversations.

“In my spare time, this is what I am doing, and what I can see really developing over the next decade or so.”