Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says the club's ability to avoid off-the-field issues is no fluke.

He says he has to be constantly vigilant to keep his youngsters on the path to success NOT self-destruction.

Ferguson revealed the problems he has encountered with some of his teenage prospects, saying: "I have built a football club with a great youth system.

"We've brought young players through continuously, that's part of the success of the club.

"But there are certain side attractions to becoming a footballer, so there are a lot of things we have to do to help them through.

"Girlfriends will come into their lives of course, drink can be a problem - and the dangers of drugs.

"All these things that young people from 16 to 19 have to experience.

"Handling money is not easy for young people either and you sometimes see them drive up in a flash car and immediately we do something about that.

"We also have kids from broken homes. You get a lot of that these days where their father and mother have split up and you have to deal with both sides of it.

"There is also that development of their character until you get them to understand that football is not an easy job.

"It's a commitment. It needs to be done 100 per cent and you can't do it part-time - not at this club.

"That message gets across quite well.

"Also what we do quite well is get the parents to understand how well they can trust us with their kids.

"We have that quite well in place now."