FORMER Manchester United starlet Ravel Morrison has revealed he would change ’90 per cent’ of his life if he could go back to his senior debut.
The 28-year-old was one of the club’s most promising prospects when he made his debut against Wolves in the League Cup in 2010 when he was just 17.
But he would make just two more appearances for the Red Devils before he joined West Ham in January 2012.
Morrison – currently a free agent after his contract at Dutch side ADO Den Haag was cancelled last month – appeared on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE YouTube channel to reflect on his career.
And he was left stunned after his ex-team-mate read out a text message he received from former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who declared Morrison was ‘beaten by his background’.
Ferdinand said: “Rio, my first and last impression of Ravel as a young lad was that he has always got time and space, always available to be on the ball, so unusual for a young lad of his age.
“Give my regards to him please. Another thing about Ravel which I’ve always treasured, because no other young player who made their debut did this.
“After the first game in the first team that he played, the next morning he came into my office and gave me a letter, thanking me for giving him his debut.
“I was gobsmacked Rio. The boy had a good heart, he was just beaten by his background.”
Morrison – who revealed in November that Wayne Rooney once smashed up his BlackBerry – was taken aback by Ferguson’s comments.
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Moved by his mentor’s words, he stated: “When I made my debut – words can’t describe that you know.
“Making your debut for Man United it was only a minute as well.
“It touches you because if I could go back in time I’d would change 90 per cent of my life.”
The ex-Lazio man also claimed that he used to steal boots from the dressing room to sell to help feed his family.
He admitted he would sneak in the changing room to snatch the gear, then sell pairs for £250 each and use the cash to buy takeaways.
Speaking on Rio’s Vibe With Five podcast, Ravel added: “I didn’t mean it to cause so much harm.
“When I used to see yours or Rooney’s deliveries, you would get like 20 or 30 pairs a time.
“So I’m thinking, ‘one pair of boots to put some food and money on the table at my home’. I didn’t think it would be a big problem.”
