Sir Alex Ferguson has said that it was a steward, rather than a scout, who alerted him to the talents of Ryan Giggs when the player was training at Manchester City as a schoolboy.

Giggs had been playing for the youth teams at Man City's school of excellence but, on his 14th birthday, signed for United in 1987.

"We always had a few scouts who claimed they were the one who discovered Giggsy," Ferguson said. "They probably did, but they never acted on what they saw.

"It was actually a steward who first told me it was a disgrace that this Manchester United fan was training down the road at City.

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs was in academy of their neighbours City when Sir Alex Ferguson was told about him. John Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images

"You knew right away, the way he ran across the ground, that he was something else. He was like a Cocker Spaniel chasing a piece of silver in the wind. His feet never seemed to touch the ground and that was the start of it all."

Giggs' first start for Manchester United was against Manchester City in 1991, when he was credited with the only goal -- which was deflected in off Colin Hendry -- in a 1-0 victory.

The Welshman went on to spend 29 years at Old Trafford as a player, coach and finally assistant manager, before departing on July 2 to pursue a career as a manager elsewhere.