Before he became one of Everton's most talked-about prospects of the early 1990s, Billy Kenny spent time training at Manchester United's old Cliff ground — and an extract from his forthcoming autobiography makes clear just how close the club came to landing the player who would later be dubbed the 'Goodison Gazza'.

The story dates to 1988, when Kenny was a Liverpool schoolboy attracting attention from clubs across England. Eric Harrison — then United's renowned youth coach — had watched him on several occasions before arranging a trial. Kenny describes arriving at The Cliff and immediately spotting a who's-who of British football: Paul McGrath, Mark Hughes, Bryan Robson, Kevin Moran and Norman Whiteside among them. The experience left him starstruck before he had even kicked a ball.

Ferguson's personal touch

What follows is a familiar account of the Ferguson charm offensive. The United manager leapt from his chair to embrace the teenager, already aware of the details of Kenny's trip with Liverpool to Wembley for a cup final. Ferguson also referenced a specific 20-minute passage of play he had watched personally — Kenny representing Liverpool schoolboys against Salford — before Eric Harrison had taken over scouting duties.

"This is ma boy, this is ma boy," Ferguson told him, in the extract. "Just like Dalglish at Liverpool, Ferguson made me feel special," Kenny writes. The manager then told him to go out and enjoy himself — and, by his own account, that is exactly what happened.

Training alongside future icons

The trial itself brought Kenny into contact with a cohort that reads very differently in hindsight. Among the group of trialists and youngsters on schoolboy forms was a lad from Scotland by the name of Ryan Wilson — a player Kenny had faced repeatedly in school football as a direct opponent on the wing. Wilson, of course, would later change his surname to Giggs and become one of United's greatest ever servants. Kenny describes being delighted, for once, to play alongside him rather than against him.

Brian Kidd introduced Kenny to the first-team group, Brian McClair provided the banter — asking whether Kenny was an Evertonian or a Liverpool supporter — and the hospitality extended to letting him keep his training kit. "Brian Kidd told me I could keep the kit, which was sound," Kenny recalls. "I already had my eye on it."

He also struck up a quick friendship with Tommy Harrison, a highly regarded Scotland schoolboy captain who ultimately turned United down and signed for Hearts instead, going on to play in the lower leagues in Scotland. Kenny reflects warmly on Harrison while acknowledging the million ways a career at the top level can slip away from a talented youngster.

The road not taken

Kenny was deployed in central midfield during the trial games — a slight departure from his usual right-midfield role — and he took to it immediately, revelling in the extra involvement. Despite the positive experience and Ferguson's evident interest, Kenny went on to sign for Everton rather than United, eventually making his name at Goodison Park before injuries and off-field difficulties curtailed what had promised to be a glittering career.

The extract is a sharp reminder of how the football landscape of the late 1980s looked at youth level, with United, Liverpool and others all circling the same pool of northern talent. It also underlines the personal touch that made Ferguson's recruitment — of youngsters in particular — so effective throughout his reign. Whether Kenny's career might have looked different had he ended up in Manchester rather than Merseyside is one of those unanswerable questions that football throws up every generation.

Frequently asked

Who is Billy Kenny and why was he called the 'Goodison Gazza'?
Billy Kenny was an Everton midfielder who emerged in the early 1990s and drew comparisons to Paul Gascoigne for his energetic, skilful style of play, earning him the 'Goodison Gazza' nickname. His career was hampered by injuries and personal difficulties.
Did Billy Kenny ever sign for Manchester United?
No. Kenny had a trial at United's Cliff training ground in 1988, where he met Alex Ferguson and trained alongside Ryan Giggs — then known as Ryan Wilson — but he went on to join Everton rather than Manchester United.
Who did Billy Kenny train with during his Manchester United trial?
According to his autobiography extract, Kenny trained alongside Ryan Giggs (then Ryan Wilson), met first-team players including Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Paul McGrath, and was introduced to the squad by Brian Kidd, with Alex Ferguson welcoming him personally.