Phil Marsh was on top of the world on the morning of January 14, 2004. The 17-year-old had played at Old Trafford for the first time the night before, in Manchester United’s FA Youth Cup win against Manchester City. “I was flying,” says Marsh, who had gone up an age group already, had captained the Under-18s and had made his debut for the reserves. Within hours his world would come crashing down.
The teenager had been with United for six years and since going full-time when he turned 16 his progress had been “amazing”, culminating in that Manchester derby in front of a crowd that included Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane. Twenty-four hours later Marsh was fighting for his life, never mind his career.
“For any young player, especially being a United supporter myself, playing at Old Trafford was the pinnacle before playing in the first team. That night was amazing, to come on and have a hand in one of the goals and win that game, it was an amazing experience,” Marsh told the Manchester Evening News .
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“I went from that high to 24 hours later being cut out of a car and airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital fighting for my life.”
Marsh was at Carrington the morning after the game for a cool-down session and would normally have returned to his digs with his teammates in the minibus.
But on this particular day, a few of them had to remain at the club to catch up on schoolwork. Marsh, who was up to date with his studies, asked if he could get a lift back with Callum Flanagan instead, who was a year older but stayed in the same accommodation.
As they left the training ground and drove along Carrington Lane, reserve team player Mads Timm pulled up alongside them.
“As young lads do when you’re a bit naïve and you’ve got a nice flash car, they started racing a little bit up the street,” remembers Marsh.
“When it got to where City’s old training ground is the roads go a bit snaky, I think as he’s gone round the corner the back of the car has gone out, I remember seeing another car coming towards us. The next thing I remember is waking up and I was being cut out of the car by a fireman.”
Timm and Flanagan received custodial sentences of 12 months and eight months respectively for their part in the incident, but in the short term, it was Marsh who faced the biggest battle.
“It was life-threatening, when you see pictures of the car and the damage to myself and the other woman whose car we hit, it was frightening. I was just really lucky to even come away from that alive,” he said.
“It was a big setback for me, I was flying at the time, you feel like you’ve been robbed of your opportunity really and your time to shine. I’d only been in the full-time programme for about 10 months and then that’s put on hold and other lads get ahead of you while you’re on hold. It’s difficult to accept and it was a hard time for me.”
While at Wythenshawe Hospital Marsh had visits from a few United first-teamers, including club captain Keane, who gave him a copy of his book.
When he returned home to St Helens after being discharged, Ferguson paid him a visit.
“I went home after about five or six days and Sir Alex came to my house in St Helens, he spoke to my mum and dad and reassured them that I’d get the best treatment and that they would give me another year on my contract. I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” he said.
“Then with the treatment they gave me everything I needed, if it wasn’t for the club I’d have probably been out a lot longer.”
Marsh was sidelined for a year with the injuries he sustained in the crash, including a broken left leg, a cracked shoulder blade and a head injury. It took him another six months to get back to anything approaching his best form on the pitch.
But the striker worked his way back into contention at United, especially during a fruitful spell in the reserves under Rene Meulensteen, with Marsh playing what he describes as some of his best football under the Dutchman.
That run of form led to more chances to train with Ferguson’s squad and two years and nine months after the crash the United fan got the opportunity to make his debut. It was October 2006 and a League Cup tie away to Crewe Alexandra. Marsh had been included in the first-team training squad that week, but only found out he’d be playing the day before the game.
“The second day I trained Mick Phelan just pulled me and said ‘you’re starting with Smith and Solskjaer up front’. It was amazing, I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I went straight home and rang my dad and was texting all my mates.
“I remember lining up in the tunnel and the United fans were opposite where we came out and the noise they were making was unbelievable. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.
“After everything I’d been through it was amazing to be involved, to fight my way back into being involved in the first team, especially at a time when the club was winning the league every year, every single player and position was world-class.
“It was almost impossible for younger lads to get a sniff because of the depth and the quality we had. We had five or six first-team squad players playing with the reserves every week because they couldn’t get a game.
“It was a massive achievement for me after all I’d been through and all the hard work I’d put in to get that recognition."
Marsh would last 45 minutes at Gresty Road in a tie United won in extra-time. The reward was a trip to Southend in the next round and Marsh would have been involved again, but for an injury ruling him out of the squad.
Ferguson drafted two forwards called Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo into the squad as replacements, but United were stunned at Roots Hall.
“That’s a story I always tell, they replaced me with Rooney and Ronaldo, and still lost,” jokes Marsh.
That game at Crewe turned out to be his first and final appearance for his boyhood club. It was a remarkable achievement to fight his way back to make his debut, but at the end of the season he realised he had to leave to try and forge a senior career elsewhere.
“There were quite a few lads who got their debuts that night [at Crewe], there were a couple of injuries at the time. I was never looking beyond that game because of the depth. I felt I’d done amazing to get one appearance after what I’d been through,” he said.
“I’d got to the stage with playing in the reserves for a couple of seasons, I’d been top scorer, we’d won the reserve league a couple of years in a row. The conversation with the manager was that they felt I was ready to test myself now and play proper football.
“As good as the reserve teams were, you’re not really playing for anything, it’s good to help you develop but you’re not playing for anything, Sir Alex said you need to go out now and start playing and kickstart your career. I was ready to make the next step, I wasn’t naïve enough to think I was going to break into the first team because of the competition.”
Marsh moved to Blackpool, which he describes now as the “wrong move”, and injuries proved a constant thorn in his side.
His career has taken in more than 20 clubs, including FC United and Salford City, and he’s now back where it all began as a child, playing for his local club, Pilkington, in the North West Counties League and helping out with the Under-23s.
Marsh recently completed his UEFA B licence and wants to do his UEFA A in the next couple of years as he works towards his coaching badges. Now 36, he has designs on playing for a little longer before going into coaching permanently.
He recently went back into Carrington and would love to return to the club that gave him so much as a youngster.
“I went in a couple of months ago just to keep my foot in the door and keep my eye in. I’d love to go back to United and coach at the club I grew up supporting and have been a part of. I’m passionate about football and if you can’t play it then coaching or managing is the next best thing,” he said.
“It was brilliant, I was surprised at how well the day went. I spoke to one of the old coaches I played under, he introduced me to some of the new coaches, I watched a couple of youth games, I think the youth team were playing Chelsea, then I had a walk around the building.
“I’m still quite good friends with Tom Heaton, the first team were in and he took me over to the first team building and introduced me to a few of the players. I saw a few old faces as well, which was great, a few of the old physios who helped with my rehab were there.
“It was a really good day, it made me feel even more confident in wanting to go back and be a part of the club.”
Marsh still watches United avidly and contributes to the Talk of the Devils podcast and YouTube channel with his views on his former club. He’s confident that they now have the right man in charge.
“I think they’ve definitely turned the corner, you can see what the manager’s plans are, the way he’s gone about his business, it’s in a really good place,” he said.
“He’s done really well so far and you need to trust him now. You can see the players are buying into what he wants to do. We’re in good hands with the new management team.”
Nearly 20 years on from the crash that could have ended his life, Marsh now believes the event made him a better person. If he ever does return to Carrington, he would have plenty of experiences to draw on.
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