Former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard has revealed he sobbed on the training pitch shortly before his exit from the club. After making his way through United's youth ranks, Lingard left in 2022, following the expiration of his contract.
He then joined Nottingham Forest for a brief spell, United's opponents on Sunday. The former England international made 231 appearances for United. His 22-year stay saw him win the FA Cup in 2016 and the Europa League and League Cup the following year.
Leaving United was a painful experience for Lingard, now 33. Speaking to Sport Bible in 2022, Lingard discussed departing Manchester and how a conversation with the team's physio about his FA Youth Cup victory with United in 2011 opened the floodgates.
“It didn't hit me until afterwards, really,” he said. “I remember we trained and stuff, like a normal day, and then Richard [Merron, physio] came up to me and said, 'I'll always remember your FA Cup goal and when we won the Youth Cup.' And then it suddenly hit me. That little comment set me off straight away. I got into my car and started crying. I cried all the way home. That was hard.”
Elaborating on the life-changing call to leave United, Lingard also recalled a conversation with his brother after his contract had expired. Lingard explained: “He [my brother] said to me, 'How does it feel leaving United after 22 years?' and I just broke down. I started crying again. I was there pretty much all my life. All I've ever known is Manchester United. To leave was emotional and it lasted quite a bit. But eventually you find a new team and a new set of teammates. To move on can be difficult at first but eventually, it's got to happen to get game time.”
Ultimately, his decision to join Forest came down to the need for regular first-team action after struggling for minutes toward the end of his United stint. “It was game time,” he added. “It's always going to be difficult playing at United but the lack of game time was the main thing. I just wanted to play football and that was the main aim. There was no point in staying there if I wasn't going to play. I wanted to go to a new team, play regularly and be happy on the pitch.”
Lingard's move to Forest lasted just a single season after he made 20 appearances. However, at the time, he opened up on why he chose to sign for the club. “I thought they [Forest] showed so much eagerness and love towards me,” Lingard said. “The manager came to my house. The owners wanted to fly me to Greece to get the deal over the line. When a team shows that much love, it's really hard to say no, to be honest. I wanted a different challenge.”
After leaving Forest, Lingard joined K-League club FC Seoul, where he made 60 appearances. He then signed a one-year contract with Brazilian club Corinthians in March of this year.
