Daniel Nardiello

The striker, 34, reflects with Andy Mitten on a career with Manchester United, Barnsley, QPR, Blackpool, Hartlepool, Exeter, Rotherham, Bury, Plymouth, Bangor City and Wales.

“I was born in Coventry, where my dad played for Coventry City. Dad was born in Wales but the origins of the family name are from Southern Italy. Dad also played in America, alongside Johan Cruyff. He likes to tell that story.

I loved Coventry City as a kid and went to every game - I was part of the junior Sky Blues. It saddens me what has happened to them, they were a Premier League club when I went and I can remember them beating Manchester United.

I was gutted when Coventry didn’t come in for me as a kid because every other team in the West Midlands did. I was chosen for the national school at Lilleshall with players including Jermaine Defoe. Joe Cole was the year above me.

I signed for Wolves as an apprentice before Manchester United approached me. That felt like a dream was coming true.

Things went well for me at United. I joined the club in 1999 when they were treble winners. I remember the Champions League music vividly. I’d see all the treble winners around the training ground every day. I was in awe of them, but my best pals were the lads I was in digs with. Of the 16 lads in our year, it’s surprising how few made it as professional footballers. Most were out of the game by 22/23. I don’t think people realise how tough it is to make a career in football. 97% of players who sign for clubs at 16 are out of football by 21. Our best player, Neil Wood, didn’t really make it. I scored so many goals at youth team level because of him. So one thing I’m proud of is that while I didn’t make it at Manchester United, I still made a good career in football and I’m still playing at 34.

I scored 12 goals at United for the reserves one year and I played three games for the first team. I came off the bench at Arsenal in the League Cup. I was called up when Ferguson saw me the day before and said: ‘Do you fancy coming to London? You’re in the squad to play Arsenal.’ I didn’t think I’d get on the pitch, but I did and I had a chance to score. I wish to this day that it had gone in the top corner rather than inches over the bar.

I also played against Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League, where Ole Gunnar Solksjaer had the ball and could have passed to me for a tap in, but he shot instead. He apologised after and he was always very helpful.

I was in the team against West Brom, which was a great occasion as I have a lot of friends back home who are Baggies fans. I also played against Leicester City, when Match of the Day cameras caught David Beckham slapping my arse in the tunnel. The girls back home were jealous of that.

I was quite laid back and enjoyed my time at United. I took it in my stride and never really thought whether I’d make it or not, but Ferguson came into the dressing room one day and said to the kitman, ‘This kid has got a chance’. Then he looked at me and said, ‘You’re doing well, the coaches say you are working hard and I know you’re scoring. Keep it up.’ I was offered a three-year contract at United and began to think about buying my first house. I was told to ask Ferguson for permission! He told me that he wouldn’t agree to it until I’d had three months of cooking lessons with the club chef. So I’d get into training early each day and learn to cook. My speciality was a sponge cake!

After three months, I got permission to buy a home. Fergie was just giving me a grounding and he was right to do what he did. He also called my parents and spoke to them. And he negotiated my contract with my dad, who acted as my agent. I think he appreciated that I didn’t have some hotshot agent like some of the other young lads.

By 22, I needed to be playing first team football. Fergie said to me: “I could offer you another year but you should go out and get first team football. I think he was just cushioning the blow. I accepted that and I always maintain that his man management skill was second to none. I bumped into Fergie quite recently when I was at hospital having my hip seen to. I didn’t think he’d remember me, but he spoke to me like I’d left United yesterday. He knew I was at Bury, that I’d played for Wales. I thought: ‘I must be one of a hundred players he’s worked with, how does he remember me?’

My call up for Wales came because I was making an impact at Barnsley, the club I left United for. Wales, then managed by John Toshack, asked me to play for them. I was happy to do that. My dad was even happier as he was born in Wales. I played three times for Wales in total and I was on the bench a few times. One was against Holland and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who I knew from United came to talk to me pre-match. He was at Real Madrid and I was impressed that he remembered me. I asked if we could swap shirts after the game and he said: ‘No problem’. Some of the other lads who played wanted to swap with him, so they weren’t happy when he came to the bench and gave me his shirt. I’m going to get it framed.

I did well at Barnsley for a couple of years, it’s a great club. We were promoted to the Championship and reached the FA Cup semi-final and I scored in the play-offs. I still look out for their results. The fans were good to me. They always are if they like you.

QPR were one of a few clubs who came in for me. I moved to London and it didn’t work out. I got a couple of injuries and then John Gregory, the manager who took me there, got sacked and his replacement didn’t fancy me. Then Iain Dowie came in, then there was a takeover. I went back to Barnsley, then Blackpool, where I had a nightmare.

I couldn’t stay fit and ended up using my own money to see a specialist in Denmark. My hips and my back were all over the place. I went to Hartlepool and Oldham and kept getting injured. I thought I wouldn’t be able to carry on as player. By that time, I’d met my wife to be. I seemed to be with her every Saturday when I should have been playing football. My life was about treatment, gym and not playing. I honestly thought that I wouldn’t get another club, but I received one offer from Exeter City.

It was at the other end of the country, but it worked out. The manager Paul Tisdale was one of the best two I’d worked for. He was extremely loyal, he wanted his team to play football, he was always available to talk to and always constructive. He worked wonders on a small budget and turned down bigger jobs. He’s a good man as well as being a good footballer manager.

Thanks to the club, I saw a specialist there, who advised me of injections that I have to have to this day.

While at Exeter I scored a last minute winner against their rivals Plymouth, so they loved me for that. I would have stayed, but I wanted to get back north and get married. Rotherham United offered me a good deal and I took it. I scored a lot of goals there, we got promoted and I was loving being a footballer. I was top goalscorer with 20 odd goals in the league and I was old enough to appreciate it. I also became a dad.

I moved to Bury in 2012. Their training ground was five minutes from my home and I won promotion again with Bury. So that was three clubs on the bounce where everything went fine.

My next move didn’t work out. I went on loan to Plymouth Argyle. Exeter fans did not like that at all. I received close to a thousand messages on social media including some death threats. Plymouth fans were gloating, Exeter fans fuming. Forgive me Exeter fans, I should not have joined Argyle. The manager didn’t even play me and even the home fans could see that I wasn’t given a chance.

I’m now at Bangor City in the Welsh Premier League and working part time which suits me. We’re third in a league which TNS win every year because they’re full time.

I’m also being trained at a wealth management company in Manchester and looking to be fully qualified within a year or so once I’ve done my diploma. I should have done that years ago. I passed all my GCSEs but I didn’t try as hard as I could because I had a three-year contract waiting for me at Manchester United.

I’d tell young footballers now to get as many qualifications as possible because there are no guarantees in football. I passed my coaching badges and I love football, but coaching just isn’t for me.

What I would like to do is advise younger players financially when I’m qualified. I was badly advised and lost money through bad investments because I didn’t know better.”