Former Manchester United defender James Chester has reportedly made a sensational return to Old Trafford; not as a player, but as a coach. Fourteen years after leaving the club that shaped him, the one-time academy prodigy is back on familiar turf, this time helping nurture United’s next generation of stars.
From youth hero to mentor
Chester, now 36, was one of the brightest prospects to emerge from United’s famed academy under Sir Alex Ferguson. The centre-back’s big moment in the first team came in 2009 when Sir Alex Ferguson handed him a senior debut in the League Cup semi-final against Derby County. The young centre-back replaced Gary Neville for the final 23 minutes of a 4-2 victory at Old Trafford, a night he’d never forget. Though his role was brief, it was enough to earn him a League Cup winners’ medal as United went on to beat Tottenham on penalties at Wembley. It was the kind of fairytale start every academy graduate dreams of, but bigger challenges awaited. And now he is back in his old stomping ground to forge a career as a coach, reported the
AdvertisementGetty Images SportA fresh chapter at Carrington
Chester has reportedly been invited to train with United’s youth teams at Carrington, working closely with the club’s U15 and U16 squads. The opportunity came through close friend Paul McShane, who left his own coaching role at United earlier this summer but was instrumental in helping Chester step in. The 36-year-old is believed to be working on a voluntary basis, spending three days a week at the training ground as he pursues his UEFA B Licence.
Ferguson sold Chester to Hull City in 2011. Chester flourished under Steve Bruce, becoming one of Hull’s most reliable defenders and writing his name into club folklore. He went on to have a stellar career across England’s top two divisions, turning out for West Brom, Aston Villa, Stoke City, Derby, Barrow, and Salford City before finally hanging up his boots earlier this year. The highlight? Scoring in the 2014 FA Cup final against Arsenal, helping Hull earn a shock 2-0 lead before the Gunners staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-2 in extra time.
New face at the top at Carrington
While Chester makes waves in the academy, United are also preparing for a shake-up at the top. The club have appointed Ameesh Manek as their new Director of Football Operations, a move that signals Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s growing influence on day-to-day football affairs.
Manek joins from Brentford, where he served as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing everything from logistics to facilities. At United, he’ll take control of operations at Carrington, handling travel, security, infrastructure, and staff management for both the men’s and women’s teams. His impressive resume includes stints at Arsenal, where he managed first-team operations between 2018 and 2020, before moving on to Brentford to help modernise their football structure. Manek will now report directly to Sporting Director Jason Wilcox, with INEOS expecting his arrival to steady the ship behind the scenes.
Getty Images SportLiverpool test looms large for Amorim
Meanwhile, in the manager’s seat, Ruben Amorim can finally breathe a little easier. Despite a rocky start to the season and growing unrest among fans, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has moved to assure supporters that Amorim’s job is safe, even claiming that he will be given three years to prove his credentials. Last season’s humiliating 15th-place finish and the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham had many predicting the Portuguese coach’s dismissal. But Ratcliffe, keen to maintain stability, has told insiders that United will stick with the Portuguese. United’s first test after the international break couldn’t be tougher: a trip to Anfield to face arch-rivals Liverpool on October 19. That clash could be make-or-break for Amorim. Another defeat, especially a heavy one, might reignite the debate within INEOS about whether a managerial change is necessary before Christmas, and whether Ratcliffe will stick to his promise.