I left Manchester United after becoming a scapegoat - now I am defying the odds as a head coach

It is not uncommon for the Community Shield to often be described as a glorified pre-season friendly.

The one-off encounter sees the winner of the previous season's Premier League title up against the previous season's FA Cup winner. The 2011 edition had an added spice as it pitted Manchester United and Manchester City up against each other in the season curtain-raiser for the first time since 1956.

The Wembley showdown will always be remembered for United coming back from 2-0 down and winning 3-2, clinching the season's first piece of silverware via a 94th-minute winner from Nani.

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United found themselves 2-0 down at half-time, conceding goals from Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko, but restored parity within 13 minutes of the restart, striking through Chris Smalling and Nani. The latter then scored a dramatic winner.

Nani's 94th-minute heroics will always be the standout memory for any United supporter. For former midfielder Tom Cleverley, however, it will be remembered by him as the day he made his Reds debut.

After joining United's academy in July 2000 at the age of 11, Cleverley took the long way round to making his first competitive appearance for the club. He had already been out on loan three times and added a promotion to his CV by the time Sir Alex Ferguson gave him his bow.

He joined Leicester City, who were in League One at the time, on loan for the remainder of the 2008/09 season in January 2009 and scored two goals in 15 appearances. Unfortunately, his season was curtailed prematurely due to a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery, but he had still played his part in helping the Foxes clinch promotion.

Nevertheless, the now-35-year-old had climbed the first rung on his career ladder, and his performances in League One were rewarded with a loan move to the Championship the following season, joining Watford in August 2009. He benefitted from that temporary spell at Vicarage Road, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 33 Championship appearances.

United were so impressed with how Cleverley had performed in the Championship that the next step in his development was to send him out on loan to a fellow Premier League club. He joined Wigan Athletic at the very end of the 2010 summer transfer window and spent the 2010/11 season on loan with the Latics, scoring four times in 25 Premier League appearances.

Having spent three successive seasons out on loan, plying his trade in League One, the Championship and then the Premier League, Ferguson felt he had done enough to try and finally establish himself as a first-team option at Old Trafford.

He stepped off the bench at half-time at Wembley against City and that was the first of 17 appearances he made in 2011/12 across all competitions. He almost doubled his appearance tally the following season, making 33 appearances, helping United win the Premier League title in Ferguson's final season in charge.

Cleverley was a key part of David Moyes' plans the following season, playing 31 times. However, as a result of United's collective struggles under Ferguson's hand-picked successor, Cleverley became something of a scapegoat. It even led to a petition being created to try and ban former England manager Roy Hodgson from naming him in his squad for the 2014 World Cup.

Although the petition had nothing to do with Hodgson's decision, Cleverley did not make it into his squad for the showpiece event in Brazil. Instead, the highlight of Cleverley's summer was closing the door on his United career, joining Aston Villa in the dying stages of the transfer window.

Although the deal only saw him leave Old Trafford on loan, the fact his contract was up the following year meant Cleverley knew his United career was as good as over. He admitted he was happy to escape the negativity.

Days after joining Villa, he said: "If any footballer gets a bit of stick off their own fans they are going to be hurt. Football is a game of opinions and you can't please everyone.

"I am happy to get away from some of the negativity. Whenever you are not winning trophies at Man United the players are going to get some stick.

"With me being out of contract at the end of the year, if I am being honest, I don't think I would play for the club again."

Louis van Gaal was in charge at United at the point at which Cleverley moved to Villa and he knew the Dutchman had no place for him in his plans, adding: "Louis van Gaal was always straight with me. I had a fairly good pre-season where we won every game, but he has his own players.

"The manager made it fairly clear it wasn't going to happen for me there."

The former midfielder made 37 appearances for Villa in 2014/15, establishing himself as a key member of their midfield, but he did not return to Villa Park permanently after his loan spell had concluded and his United contract had come to an end. Instead, he joined Everton and spent two years at Goodison Park.

Making just 42 appearances during that period, he was on the move again in 2017, rejoining former loan club Watford, first on another loan deal in January and then permanently in July. His second spell at Vicarage Road amounted to six-and-a-half years before he announced his retirement from playing at the age of 33 in July last year.

"Today I am announcing my retirement from football as a player," said Cleverley, making the announcement in an Instagram post. "The last year has been immensely difficult trying to overcome the obstacles of injury.

"Unfortunately, my body has failed me and just hasn't got the capacity to perform anymore. I haven't done much reflection just yet, but I'm trying to focus on a positive future and I'm excited about what that's going to bring."

Having played 181 times for Watford over three spells, it was no great surprise when Cleverley announced he was taking on a coaching role within the club's academy. A little over 12 months on, he is now spearheading the club's quest to return to the Premier League.

The former United midfielder was installed as the Hornets' interim coach in March, picking up the baton from former boss Valerien Ismael, and after overseeing just one defeat from seven games as caretaker, he landed the job permanently in April.

Watford are notorious for sacking coaches, going through four permanent bosses prior to appointing Cleverley since being relegated from the Premier League in May 2022. Furthermore, not since Javi Gracia, who was sacked in September 2019, has a Watford boss been in charge for more than 50 games.

Naturally, amid his lack of experience, a lot of outsiders were sceptical about Cleverley getting a meaningful opportunity to make his mark in management at Vicarage Road. However, including his seven games in interim charge, he has only lost nine of his first 30 games at the helm.

An uninspiring summer transfer window and an ongoing feud between supporters and the club's owners - the Pozzo family - meant Watford were not fancied by many to achieve much this season. Some were even brave enough to tip them for relegation.

However, 18 games into the campaign, the Hornets, inspired by their outstanding home form, occupy a play-off place, currently sitting sixth on 30 points. They have won 23 points from a possible 27 at home, winning seven of their first nine, drawing two.

Six of the Hornets' home wins this season have been secured by a one-goal margin, leading to Cleverley being granted with a lot of credit for finding a way to win tight games. His tactical ability ranks as one of his biggest skills, likewise the way in which he has rebuilt the relationship between the team and the fans.

At the age of 35, Cleverley is the youngest coach in the Championship, marginally ahead of Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Röhl and Norwich City chief Johannes Hoff Thorup. The difference in Cleverley's case is that he is homegrown and young English bosses, certainly with promise, are often few and far between.

As painful and emotional as it must have been for Cleverley to hang up his boots ahead of schedule, he is making a very impressive start to his coaching career. His progress is most definitely worth keeping an eye on.