Legendary former Manchester United youth-team coach Eric Harrison has been made an MBE in the New Year Honours.

The 79-year-old is most renowned as the man who brought through the 'Class of 92' at Old Trafford, nurturing the careers of the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary and Phil Neville.

Appointed by Ron Atkinson in 1981, Harrison was made head of youth development by Sir Alex Ferguson when he became manager in 1986.

The decision was to pay handsome dividends, with Harrison guiding his golden generation to successive FA Youth Cup finals in 1992 and 1993 before they went on to form the Premier League's greatest team.

In an interview in 2013, Harrison said: "The manager is obviously the most important person at any football club, but without good coaches they would be absolutely nothing.

"And I might be biased but one of the most important coaches at any club is the youth coach. They are just as important as the players because they are responsible for bringing the next generation through."

Although Beckham and his team-mates became world stars, they did not forget the role Harrison played in their success.

Made in Manchester: the Class of 92 boys on the red carpet 14 show all Made in Manchester: the Class of 92 boys on the red carpet 1/14 92PREMIERE12.jpg Mates re-united: from left, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and David Beckham at the world premiere of The Class of 92 at the Odeon West End Dave Benett 2/14 92PREMIERE01.jpg Glam fam: David and Victoria Beckham with their sons Brooklyn, at the back, Romeo, left, and Cruzon the red carpet last night PA 3/14 92PREMIERE07.jpg Two generations of heart-throbs: David Beckham and Harry Styles Dave Benett 4/14 92PREMIERE11.jpg I got a selfie with Becks! David Beckham obliges a fan Dave Benett 5/14 92PREMIERE10.jpg She hasn't aged a bit: Victoria Beckham Dave Benett 6/14 92PREMIERE09.jpg Me and the boys: David Beckham with his sons, from left, Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo Dave Benett 7/14 92PREMIERE08.jpg Gordon Ramsay 8/14 92PREMIERE06.jpg OMIGOD it's me with Harry Styles: the 1D pin-up makes a few girls happy David Beckham 9/14 92PREMIERE03.jpg The line-up: from left, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and David Beckham PA 10/14 92PREMIERE13.jpg Three of the five: from left, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs Dave Benett 11/14 92PREMIERE05.jpg Tinchy Stryder Dave Benett 12/14 92PREMIERE04.jpg Greg Rutherford Dave Benett 13/14 92PREMIERE02.jpg I'm gorgeous, too: Victoria Beckham Getty 14/14 92PREMIERE14.jpg Jack Whitehall Getty 1/14 92PREMIERE12.jpg Mates re-united: from left, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and David Beckham at the world premiere of The Class of 92 at the Odeon West End Dave Benett 2/14 92PREMIERE01.jpg Glam fam: David and Victoria Beckham with their sons Brooklyn, at the back, Romeo, left, and Cruzon the red carpet last night PA 3/14 92PREMIERE07.jpg Two generations of heart-throbs: David Beckham and Harry Styles Dave Benett 4/14 92PREMIERE11.jpg I got a selfie with Becks! David Beckham obliges a fan Dave Benett 5/14 92PREMIERE10.jpg She hasn't aged a bit: Victoria Beckham Dave Benett 6/14 92PREMIERE09.jpg Me and the boys: David Beckham with his sons, from left, Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo Dave Benett 7/14 92PREMIERE08.jpg Gordon Ramsay 8/14 92PREMIERE06.jpg OMIGOD it's me with Harry Styles: the 1D pin-up makes a few girls happy David Beckham 9/14 92PREMIERE03.jpg The line-up: from left, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and David Beckham PA 10/14 92PREMIERE13.jpg Three of the five: from left, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs Dave Benett 11/14 92PREMIERE05.jpg Tinchy Stryder Dave Benett 12/14 92PREMIERE04.jpg Greg Rutherford Dave Benett 13/14 92PREMIERE02.jpg I'm gorgeous, too: Victoria Beckham Getty 14/14 92PREMIERE14.jpg Jack Whitehall Getty

Harrison was a regular visitor to Madrid when Beckham played for Real and the former England captain visited his former mentor along with Gary Neville and Scholes this summer after learning of his struggles with dementia.

Harrison's career in football began as a player with his local team Halifax in 1957 and playing under Brian Clough at Hartlepool helped shape his coaching philosophy.

But Harrison saw a missed opportunity in the coaching he received and vowed to address that.

"In all my career, 550 games over 17 years, not one coach or manager took me to one side and said they would work with me to improve certain aspects of my game," he said.

"I was scared to say anything but I didn't think it was right. I resolved that if I ever got a job coaching, I would make sure the players got coached properly."

Additional reporting by the Press Association