Bardsley the babe: Academy crop begin to push the golden oldies

Once Ryan Giggs had jogged painfully from the Old Trafford pitch last Tuesday, having sustained a fractured cheekbone towards the end of a hugely disappointing goalless draw against Lille, it became apparent that there was something unfamiliar about the Manchester United team left out there: with Paul Scholes having preceded Giggs down the tunnel after receiving one of the occasional red cards that his wild tackling inevitably brings about, not a single one of the generation of early-Nineties golden boys was on the field.

It is a sight to which United followers will increasingly have to grow accustomed. David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville have all moved clubs (a little ironically in the case of the latter pair, given the sudden need for a proper defensive midfield player). Giggs is no longer a regular, especially when Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are fit; Gary Neville's injury means another of the old gang is currently missing.

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The Beckham Boys won the FA Youth Cup in 1992, a feat emulated three seasons ago by another generation slowly making their mark, of whom Kieran Richardson and Phil Bardsley have progressed furthest. United, with their proud tradition of junior development since the days of the Busby Babes - the club won the first five Youth Cups, from 1953-57 - will continue to encourage young local talent, but cannot afford to be sentimental about it.

These days the net has to be spread as wide as regulations allow, so that the current list of bright young things includes names as exotic as Gerard Pique (from Barcelona), Giuseppe Rossi (an Italian-American) and Dong Fangzhou (Chinese). That is the sort of pressure facing genuine Lancashire lads like Bardsley, the promising 20-year-old right-back whose local roots and lifelong United allegiance ought ideally to count for something when a long-term replacement is sought for that equally committed Red, Gary Neville.

All Bardsley can do for now is keep producing performances as impressive as those against Benfica and Lille, in Champions' League ties that account for exactly half his total number of starts in the first team.

"You get more confident with each game you play," he said after the Lille match, in which by common consent he was as good as any of United's much more experienced performers. "I'm learning and getting fitter, and hopefully I can maintain that."

The word "hopefully" is sprinkled throughout his conversation, as if in acknowledgement that nothing can or should be taken for granted, even after getting to share a dressing room with some of his heroes: "It was mad, because I'm a local lad and I've dreamt of it since I was a young boy. To be in the team is a fantastic feeling for me, and hopefully I can stay in there and keep improving.

"It's nice to be one of a new generation, because I think there's not been one for some time, probably since Wes Brown and John O'Shea, then Darren Fletcher. From the Academy now there's some good young players coming through, including Giuseppe Rossi, Sylvan [Ebanks-Blake] and Lee Martin. I'm sure they'll all get an opportunity and I'm sure they'll make it."

An opportunity, certainly - the three names he mentioned were all substitutes against Lille, as was the highly regarded Pique. Making it is another matter, but Bardsley has a chance.

Rio Ferdinand, who at 27 next month has to be regarded as one of the senior members of the side, has had a close-up view of his young team-mate from the centre of defence and says: "It's great experience for him getting two or three games on the spin and he's done admirably well for a young lad.

"To be thrown in at the deep end against Champions' League opposition is difficult for any young player, let alone at a club like Manchester United where the onus is on you to go out and attack, not just get through games like you do at some clubs. He had a difficult start at Sunderland but came through and has shown everyone what he's capable of."

Strong in the tackle and able to use the ball, Bardsley also appears to have developed a mental resilience as a result of a difficult year on loan at Royal Antwerp, playing in a struggling side and then falling victim to a series of injuries. A further blow was to lose a close relative, Frank Buckley - "a big influence on my career" - who was attacked and killed in the street 18 months ago.

"Uncle Frank was my team manager when I was 10 and now I dedicate all my results to him. My family have all supported me since I was nine and first came to United, and it's been a roller-coaster since then. Hopefully I can keep making them proud and maintain my place in the team. Hopefully it's just the beginning."

New Trafford: Fergie's fresh fledglings

SYLVAN EBANKS-BLAKE: A pacy 19-year-old striker from Cambridge who made an early debut in the Carling Cup at Crewe 12 months ago, then broke his leg, but is now fully recovered.

LEE MARTIN: An 18-year-old attacking midfielder from Taunton, signed from Wimbledon two years ago, who already has a hat-trick in the reserves to his name.

GERARD PIQUE: Signed a year ago from Barcelona, the 18-year-old midfielder already has four first-team appearances.

GIUSEPPE ROSSI: Born in New Jersey and signed from Parma, the 18-year-old (left) scored on his Premiership debut at Sunderland last weekend.

DAVID JONES: Captain of the Youth Cup-winning team of 2003 and given a debut against Exeter in the FA Cup last season. But, 21 next month, the midfielder needs to break through soon.

PAUL McSHANE: Strong Irish defender, 20 next January, and making a good impression on loan at Brighton.