Former Man Utd kid Thorpe captained youth side starring Pogba but disappeared

IN 2011, Tom Thorpe seemingly had the world at his feet.

As captain of Manchester United’s brilliant youth team that won the reserve league, U18s title and an FA Youth Cup, he organised the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison.

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Big things were expected, however as fate would have it Thorpe wouldn’t get the lucky breaks needed to make a career in football.

Now out of the game, he hasn’t played professionally for three years and is unattached.

His last outing came in the Indian Super League, when Teddy Sheringham managed Atletico de Kolkata.

So, where did it all go wrong for Thorpe?

Hugely admired

Centre back Thorpe joined United relatively late – as a 16-year-old in 2009.

But he soon excelled and showed he was captain material with displays of leadership at the back.

And it wasn’t just United’s coaches he impressed – at international level he was just as revered.

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Remarkably, the defender played for every England age group team between U16s to U21s.

However, with competition for places at Old Trafford he had to bide his time for his debut.

Eventually, Louis van Gaal would hand him his only appearance for the club in September 2014, coming on as a sub for Angel Di Maria in the 89th minute against West Ham.

Perhaps that was more of a token gesture to what had happened at the start of that year in his football career.

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Going out on loan

After his impeccable performances for the U21s ensured United kept a tight ship at the back in the 2013-14 season, Birmingham City brought Thorpe in on loan in the January transfer window.

He made his debut the very next day against Derby County, but cruelly suffered a knee ligament injury that saw him stretchered off after just 14 minutes.

He returned to United for medical treatment, then played a further five times for Birmingham that season before his loan contract was terminated when he suffered a recurrence of the injury in the last month of the campaign.

Will Keane, who played alongside Thorpe and is now thriving at Wigan, recalled his team mate’s ability to Manchester Evening News.

“I think a lot of it is about timing and taking your opportunity,” Keane revealed.

“I know Thorpey hung around in the reserves for a few years, maybe he could have gone out and got that loan experience at a younger age, which would have stood him in greater stead.

“It’s easy to say in hindsight but it’s a strange one. In our team he was the captain and he was a great player.

“He was always a really bright lad and as a centre-half as well he was really good on the ball, really composed and just a good lad, had his head on his shoulders.”

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Rediscovering that form

Thorpe was offered several loan moves in 2015, but snubbed them after seeing the likes of Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett gain first team experience under van Gaal.

That same year he was released by the club, but swiftly picked up by Rotherham United.

Boss Steve Evans said at the time: “This is a young man that I have targeted since the first day he was released by Manchester United.

“There is no secret within the Millers that I tried to take young Tom on loan on a number of occasions last season, but at that time we couldn’t make it happen.

“This young man has everything that is good with the modern day footballer. He has height, strength, speed, awareness and technical ability. There is no doubt that this lad for me is exceptional.”

But Thorpe found it tough in South Yorkshire, especially when Evans was sacked and Neil Redfearn was brought in.

He found himself out the team struggling to survive in the Championship, and would have to move again after a lack of opportunities.

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson came to his rescue – signing Thorpe on an emergency loan in 2016.

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Niggling injuries continued to hamper his progress though, and he would play just four times for the Bantams.

But Parkinson had seen enough to sign him again on another loan deal, when he became boss of Bolton Wanderers the following season.

He moulded the youngster into a defensive midfielder, and he finally got to play a run of games his ability richly deserved.

“I always felt he was going to have a good career in the game,” Parkinson said.

“I really thought Tom had potential and I liked his versatility as well, that was key when you’re running off a small squad.

“He could play at the back and at Bolton he was good in central midfield, he could pass the ball and he made a strong contribution at Bolton.”

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Injured again

However, in 2017 he had to be subbed after 64 minutes in a game against Wimbledon, with his body breaking down again.

It would be the last time Thorpe would play in English football.

He was released by Rotherham that same year, and ended up playing in India for Teddy Sheringham at ATK in Kolkata.

That was 2018, and the last time he appeared in football.

Still only 29, the likes of Pogba, Lingard, Keane and more have forged football careers and earned fortunes.

For Thorpe, though, he is avoiding all publicity. A report in the Manchester Evening News in 2021 reported a Man Utd source saying: “Seems he’s vanished into thin air.”