Ben named young player of the year

FOOTBALL: CHADDERTON’S Ben Pearson has been named Manchester United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year for 2013.

The midfielder – who attended Christ Church C of E Primary School and Crompton House School – was a regular in Paul McGuinness' Academy team and scored the team's first and last goals of the league campaign. The 18 year old is being tipped for a bright future with United.

After captaining England Under-18s against Belgium recently, it has been a terrific year for Pearson, who has also made appearances for Warren Joyce's under-21 and reserves sides in recent months.

"I'm really proud," the teenager said. "We've had a long season but I think we've done well.

"It's a massive inspiration to see the first-team players every day around the training ground. It's dead good!"

Pearson beat off competition from skipper Liam Grimshaw and fellow midfielder James Weir to win the trophy, and follows in the footsteps of some famous names including Ryan Giggs, Athletic fan Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Wes Brown and more recently, England striker Danny Welbeck.