Former Manchester United starlet Ethan Laird is working under Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City.

Laird had been a part of United's academy since the age of 10, but had to leave United for regular football in the summer.

He landed at Championship side Birmingham City, where Rooney is now the manager.

“I haven't actually told Wayne this!" he admitted to reporters regarding an old admiration for the United legend.

“When I was really young, a couple of us trained up. I must have been about 15 or 16. We went to the first team and saw all these stars.

“Wazza was there and you could see from the off his mentality, the tackles he put in, he worked hard.

“It was almost scary for us as young kids: this is the level. You see it in the way he is as a manager with us now and he wants that."