Brian McClair has admitted that he found it difficult to leave Manchester United after spending so many years at the club.

Having spent 24-and-a-half years at United as a player and then as a coach, McClair is Red Devils through and through.

McClair finally ended his long association with United at the end of last season when becoming the Scottish Football Association's performance director and the former star has admitted that he found it very tough to leave his beloved club behind.

McClair told MUTV: "They [the SFA] asked me. I didn't apply for the job. I spent hours and days agonising about what to do about it. In the end, I got up at two o'clock one morning and sat down and did some scribbling about things. I decided I would go for it. I can look upon it as arriving somewhere else rather than leaving.

"I'm going to miss the young players and I'll miss the staff. That was the most difficult thing, telling them, it was probably the most difficult thing I've had to do. It was short and sweet and I know some of them are disappointed but we'll celebrate the good times. We've had plenty."