CLASS REJECTS
What happened next to Man Utd’s forgotten stars from the Class of ’92, with one ex-player becoming a van courier
Not everybody in the Class of '92 had careers like Giggs, Beckham or Neville
THE Class of '92 has been lauded for the impact they had at Old Trafford.
Comprised of a group of hungry, ambitious and gifted young footballers - the core of Man Utd's youth team of that era would go on to turn the Red Devils into a global force.
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Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, the Nevilles Gary and Phil, and Nicky Butt would all cement themselves as first team stars.
But, not everyone made it.
Ben Thornley's career was robbed from him injury, while Robbie Savage earned his keep away from the club to become a Leicester City legend.
However, there were some that needed to find a new path away from the beautiful game.
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Here's what happened to the forgotten Class of '92.
Kevin Pilkington
Shotstopper Pilkington had one, huge problem getting into the Man Utd team. Peter Schmeichel.
He played eight times for the club, before Port Vale swooped to sign him.
The goalie played for a number of sides at a lower level, including Mansfield Town and Notts County.
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Pilkington dropped to non-league football with Luton Town, before hanging up his gloves in 2019.
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Since 2021, he has been back at Kenilworth Road, where he is the club's goalkeeping coach.
George Switzer
A left-back of that famous FA Youth Cup winning side, Switzer was offered a one-year deal to stay on at Old Trafford.
But by 1993 he was released and picked up by Darlington on a free transfer.
For six years he played for Northern Premier League side Hyde United, but had to pick up other jobs to supplement his income.
Switzer worked as an optical technician for Dolland & Aitchison in Salford, and was a van man for a Manchester courier firm.
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John O'Kane
It didn't help O'Kane that Gary Neville burst into the first team and became the club's first choice.
After loans at Wimbledon, Bury, Wrexham and Bradford, he was sold to Everton for £1million.
But when Howard Kendall was sacked, he found himself out the team under new boss Walter Smith.
O'Kane would go on to play for Bolton, Blackpool and Hyde, before retiring in 2006.
Today, he works in the care sector after he was diagnosed later in life with autism.
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Chris Casper
Much was expected of Casper, as captain of England's U18 1993 European Championship winning side.
But the defender struggled to get a game at Man Utd, playing just twice, before he was sold to Reading in 1998.
He became first choice for the Royals and seemingly appeared to be heading in the right direction.
Bad luck in the form of a nasty double leg break ended his career on Boxing Day in 1999.
He moved into coaching and became manager of Bury for two years, before he was axed.
Today, he is back with his Class of '92 mates as Director of Football for Salford City.
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Simon Davies
To be a Man Utd winger in the 1990s meant you had to oust Lee Sharpe, Ryan Giggs and Andrei Kanchelskis for a spot in the side.
And while Davies played a credible 20 times for the club and become an international for Wales, it was a tough ask.
Still, he famously scored his one and only goal in a Champions League game against Galatasaray. A certain David Beckham also featured on the scoresheet that day.
Davies retired in 2007, after becoming a journeyman in the Welsh league.
He's got a great gig now, though.
The former midfielder is the Academy Director at Tottenham Hotspur.
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Colin McKee
Striker McKee was another lad who was offered a contract at United, following the Class of '92's success.
Then, he would go on to win the Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year award.
However, after just one appearance under Sir Alex Ferguson the Scotsman was sold to Kilmarnock.
There, he played 78 times in three seasons - scoring 12 goals - before he was released.
However, eight clubs in just four seasons left him fed up with the game.
McKee retired at the age of 27, became a maintenance man for a building company and coached at Kilmarnock.
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Lenny Taylor
Defender Taylor was released after that FA Youth Cup final win.
Reported interest from Man City never materialised, while a trial at Port Vale ended unsuccessful.
Taylor turned down Walsall, before ending up at Solihull Borough playing in their reserves.
He quit the game aged 29 and ended up working in a metal coating factory.
While he also turned his hand to labouring for an electrical company.
Joe Roberts
Roberts contributed off the bench in that FA Youth Cup run with wins over Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
And he was involved in the following campaign, as the side got to the final again before losing to Leeds.
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However, in 1994 he was released without ever making an appearance.
He soon dropped out of football and what he did next are a mystery.
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