He only said what everyone was thinking. They'd sold the superstars and we were little spotty-faced kids coming into the team' Nicky Butt on Alan Hansen's you can't win anything with kids'

"Famously, the former Liverpool centre-back would be proved wrong, as Sir Alex Ferguson's side - who had an average age of 26 years and 137 days that season - swept to a Premier League and FA Cup Double. The likes of Gary Neville (aged 20), Paul Scholes (20), Ryan Giggs (21), Phil Neville (18), Nicky Butt (20), and David Beckham (20) all played their part that season, as the Class of 92 came of age."

"Fergie had decided to roll the dice on his academy stars that season following some high-profile exits, as the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Ince and Mark Hughes departed, with goalkeepers Tony Coton and Nick Culkin the only new faces in that summer. It's perhaps easy to understand why Hansen was so resolute in writing off the Red Devils' chances that season and Butt, who made 41 appearances that season, saw where he was coming from."

Alan Hansen declared that 'you can't win anything with kids' after Manchester United lost 3-1 to Aston Villa on the opening day of 1995/96. Sir Alex Ferguson responded by promoting academy graduates amid the departures of senior players, leaving a relatively young squad. The team featured Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and David Beckham who became key contributors. Manchester United went on to win the Premier League and FA Cup Double that season. Nicky Butt made 41 appearances during the campaign and later acknowledged Hansen reflected common opinion at the time.

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