Manchester United winger Ashley Young has revealed that being turned down by Watford as a youngster was one of the hardest challenges of his life as he celebrates four years at England’s most successful club.

The 29 year-old is a regular in Louis van Gaal’s side and started nearly every game between March and the end of the season.

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His displays defensively and going forward received plenty of praise from the staff and fans of the club and he will be hoping to continue that next season when United go for the Premier League title.

United achieved their goal of returning to the Champions League but they now want to kick on and so will Young. However, it hasn’t been so easy for the former Aston Villa and Watford wide man. He was always good as a youngster and had plenty of speed but he lacked the complete profile which made it harder for him to reach the top.

And speaking on his past, which saw him not offered a full scholarship from Watford, Young admits it made him a better player because he proved them wrong in the end.

He said, as reported in an exclusive with ManUtd.com: “When you’re on the YTS (Youth Training Scheme) and that day comes when you’re going to be told if you’ll be kept or let go it’s horrible, particularly at such a young age,” said Ashley. “It’s one of those decisions that can make or break you. I’d been at Watford since I was 10 years old and I remember going into the meeting not knowing what was going to be said. When they told me I wasn’t going to be offered a full scholarship, my heart sank and it felt like the world had ended. “But they turned round and said I could still come in part-time, train twice a week with the full-time boys and play at the weekend. It was up to me to go away and decide whether I wanted to continue at Watford or go to another club. I went back home that day and I don’t think I moved from the chair all day, it was tough. Mum and Dad were trying to get my spirits up but I was really upset. It took me a few days to think about it and I decided I wanted to stay – it had been the only the club I’d known. There were other clubs who wanted to take me but I felt like I wanted to stay at Watford and prove to them that I was better than they thought. Prove that I would make it into the first team.”

Young did go one to prove himself and earned a big move to Aston Villa where he stood out alongside Gareth Barry and other senior players. That got him the move to Old Trafford in 2011 and Young delivered his best moment in an 8-2 win over Arsenal where he netted two sublime goals.

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And it was that day during his first season that he saw his former advisor, which he added was a funny moment.

“I saw her and asked if she remembered our meeting,” he added. “She couldn’t. We laughed and I said, ‘I bet you don’t!’ I’d always had that goal to make it though, that desire and drive. I’m always asked what I’d have done if I wasn’t a footballer and I can’t answer it because that’s all I knew I wanted to do.”

Young is set to go on the pre-season tour to the United States where he impressed last season and he will hope to do the same with more competition for places expected.