- Ferguson oversaw the promotion of a host of top talents from United academy
- Ex- Red Devils boss handed a first team debut to the Belgian defender in 2012
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Sir Alex Ferguson handed a number of talented youngster their first starts for Manchester United during his storied 26-year reign at the helm of the club.
But for every Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney, there was also Alex Buttner or Chris Eagles. Unfortunately for the former Red Devils defender, who now finds himself working as a postman in his native Belgium, he wasn’t even in the latter category.
The first of appearance for the Red Devils senior team for full-back Marnick Vermijl came alongside Michael Keane and Scott Wootton, as United claimed a 2-1 win over Newcastle in the League Cup in 2012.
His second and final appearance was less productive yet far more memorable. The Belgian played all 90 minutes in United’s infamous 4-0 defeat by MK Dons at the start of Louis van Gaal‘s reign in August 2014.
Now more than a decade on, the 32-year-old has continued to play regularly and currently turns out for a Belgium third-tier side K.V.V. Thes Sport Tessenderlo – alongside his responsibilities as a postman.
‘I was fed up with professional football.’ He told Dutch outlet Voetbalprimeur. ‘You are too dependent on the trainer you have. Finding pleasure was also a big factor for me.
Marnick Vermijl made two first team appearances for Manchester United before moving to Sheffield Wednesday in 2015
The Belgian was handed his first team debut by Sir Alex Ferguson in a Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle in 2012
Vermijl was part of the side that were thrashed 4-0 by MK Dons in the League Cup in 2014
‘As a postman I have to get up at four o’clock, but now I am home around noon and can pick up the children from school every day. That is a luxury.’
The defender’s two appearances for United came either side of a loan spell at Dutch club NEC Nijmegen. He eventually left Manchester for good in 2015 and moved to Sheffield United.
Though that spell proved to be short lived and led to a loan spell at Preston – which would ultimately be made permanent after 12 months – after he failed to impress at Hillsborough.
Vermijl spent three seasons at Deepdale but only made 20 league appearances before he joined Scunthorpe and Dutch club MVV Maastricht on loan before completing a permanent move to latter in 2019.
The defender featured for United academy sides alongside the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Ravel Morrison and Michael Keane – having impressed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer while turning out for Standard Liege’s youth team.
But his story ultimately resemblance that of Lee Roche who played for United in the Champions League in 2003 but was forced to retire at the age of 27 and reportedly plies his as a plumber and cavity wall remover.