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Marcus Rashford was so highly coveted as a seven-year-old he rejected Liverpool and Everton to join Manchester United.

The 18-year-old striker beat George Best's 52-year-old record to become United's youngest European goalscorer when he scored twice on his first career appearance against Midtjylland on Thursday night.

Wythenshawe-born Rashford is the latest Fletcher Moss Rangers junior football club graduate to make the step up to the United first-team. What Wallsend Boys' Club is to Newcastle, Fletcher Moss is to United. Rashford has trodden the same path as Wes Brown, Danny Welbeck, Ravel Morrison, Zeki Fryers, Jesse Lingard, Tyler Blackett and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.

Like his predecessors, Rashford had his heart set on one club, despite interest from Liverpool and David Moyes' Everton in 2005.

"He's a United fan," Fletcher Moss chairman Ron Jamieson tells M.E.N. Sport.

"Once they came in for him I don't think they'd have chosen anyone else. Everton, United and Liverpool, they were all clamouring around him.

"Everton were quite keen on him, they actually swamped a particular tournament in 2005 and had Everton scouts at every single game and they were quite keen for him to go down to the training ground. But he wasn't too keen, to be fair, and neither were his parents."

Rashford has been at United since he was seven but was deemed too small for City's academy. Jamieson concedes his height was a worry.

"He was small until he was 14," he adds.

"I'm only 5ft 5 and I spoke to him as a 14-year-old when he came down to watch one of the games and he was as tall as me. I thought 'Are you going to shoot up?' I was a bit worried about his size.

"But he's just had a growth spurt, he's a good six-footer now, he must be. When he came to us he was only a little fella and (United Under-21s defender) Ro-Shaun Williams towered above him."

Rashford went to Fletcher Moss as a six-year-old and Jamieson, as he told M.E.N. Sport only last month, identified him as a 'star' even though he was still in primary school.

"He had a couple of teeth missing at the front," Jamieson says when recalling his first impressions.

"We played a couple of home games and two or three looked half decent but with Marcus, it was the way he actually moved the ball around the pitch.

"He was quite confident moving the ball but the thing that struck me more than anything was the way he could strike a ball, and for a six-year-old to break past a player and then hit the back of the net with such accuracy, I have never seen a kid strike a ball as well at his age - and he did it time and time again.

"As well as taking players on for a youngster, there was just something about him. It was always a spectacular goal. His interest in football just stood out. He made goals as well as scored goals.

"If Marcus got his chance he would be a star and it's proved to be right."

Jamieson is adamant his family will keep the teenager grounded.

"They just let him play and enjoy his football and what would come would come. He's very grounded, well groomed, a well-mannered young man, never see a big-time Charlie in him. His mum makes sure he keeps his feet on the ground.

"He comes from a very good family, people that keep him well grounded. I'm sure his mum still sends him for a bottle of milk."

Fletcher Moss' professional Manchester United graduates

Tyler Blackett (2014-)

Wes Brown (1998-2011)

Danny Webber (2000-03)

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (2015-)

Cameron Stewart (former academy member now at Ipswich)

Zeki Fryers (2011-12)

Jesse Lingard (2014-)

Ravel Morrison (2010-12)

Marcus Rashford (2016-)

Danny Welbeck (2008-14)

Devonte Redmond (current academy member)

Demetri Mitchell (current academy member)

Ro-Shaun Williams (current academy member)

Reece Brown (former academy member now at Bury)