This article by Phil Tooley originally featured in the Grmsby Town match day magazine.

Nineteen year old Chorley lad Michael Barnes made a dream move to the club he supports, Manchester United. From non-league to the World's Richest Club, back at the start of 2006.

The pacy winger takes up the story, "I was playing for Lancaster City in the Northern Conference. I got into their first team squad and played a few games but it was in a Youth Cup game, a big prestigious tournament I was spotted. A few scouts came to watch the game and I got a phone call to go on trial to United. I went there for six weeks and after that, signed for six months until the end of that season and after that was offered a two year professional contract and I'm in the second year of that now."

He adds, "Until I went to Lancaster, I'd never been associated with any other club. I'd never been on trial anywhere so I went straight from playing non league with Lancaster to Old Trafford. It was a fantastic move, jumping up a few leagues."

A student at Southlands High School in Chorley, Michael made the move to the Cardinal Newman College, who have a terrific sports set up and he won honours with Lancashire U19's. Ex Stoke, Forest and Preston player Sean Haslegrave is the coach there and he was also the coach of the English Colleges set up and he selected Michael and two of his college mates for a game for England Colleges in Italy.

Our new man takes up the story: "I didn't make the game in Italy because the same day we were due to go, I made my debut in United's reserves against Aston Villa, so it was a choice of playing for England Colleges or for Man United reserves so I stayed home with the reserves. I did play once for them, in England, but to be honest, I forget who it was against."

After earning his new two year deal, Michael appeared for a United XI in a pre-season match at Hyde United and notched up a notable moment: "United played their reserve games at Hyde at the time so there was always a pre-season friendly with them, so I went down with the side and scored a hat-trick on the day, it was a good game against tough opposition, they were all big guys."

Later that season, he made his one and only first team appearance for the Red Devils, on 25^th October 2006 in the League Cup 3^rd round, a televised game at Crewe Alexandra.

Michael was a sub but with United 1-0 up at half time after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had scored, he came on straight after the break. With Kuszczak, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Richardson and Smith in the side, there were some excellent players but Alex levelled through Luke Varney and extra time was needed. United bagged a last gasp winner through Kieran Lee (who's just joined QPR on loan) but Michael wasn't on the park at the time, "It was a very tough game on a wet and windy night, hard conditions and we had a very young side, especially in the second half. Unfortunately I got injured in extra time, I got a kick on the knee and I got blood behind my kneecap and I had to come off."

Last summer, Michael jetted off with his team mates to play in the inaugural World Youth Team Championships in Malaysia.

Sixteen of the World's top teams were present and United were drawn in a tough group with Porto, Boca Juniors and Inter Milan. Two wins from the first two games meant they'd secured a quarter final spot before losing to Inter.

Barcelona were seen off (1-0) in the first knock out round, Brazilian side Flamengo were overcome by a 2-1 scoreline meaning United reached the final against Juventus, who were beaten 1-0 with Febian Brandy scoring the winner in the National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

It was all a great experience for the ginger-haired wide man who recalls, "We beat some good teams, it was a very good tournament and we had some good results."

On the quality of the opposition he said, "It was a very high standard. All the best youth teams in the World were there, except Real Madrid and we had the toughest group including Boca Juniors who were the pre-tournament favourites. Just being there was one of those pinch-yourself moments, a big tournament, I really enjoyed it."

Michael cites his Mum and Dad as being great influences on his career to date but the professional he looks up to is no great surprise, "I really look up to Ryan Giggs, he's been at United for so long and plays in my position, he's one of the greats of the left side of midfield."

And on United and life at the Theatre of Dreams he says, "Everything's as you'd expect, top drawer facilities for training. Great people, the nicest club I've ever been to." So is he happy to find himself in the hurly burly World of League Two? "I'm very happy, it's my first loan out so I'm happy to get some first team football and, hopefully, help Chesterfield get promoted."

He continues, "It'll be good experience to play first team football and being in a first team environment. In the reserves league, we don't play too many games, there were only 10 games before Christmas and another 10 afterwards where as there's 23 games after Christmas here at Chesterfield, an extra 13 games for my experience."

How did he come to hear of The Spireites' interest, a team and a place he admits to knowing 'not a lot' about? "The Manager rang me up and asked if I'd be interested in coming down and that was about it, no questions asked, I just want to play football."

Barnes saw his new team mate play before the loan was confirmed, he was in the stands on New Year's Day for the win over Wrexham, "I came to the game, a decent game actually, very cold though! The first half we were all over Wrexham, in the second half it was about grinding a result out which is what you have to do sometimes."

He leaves United's reserves in good shape, "I started in every game before Christmas, we're doing well in the league having won quite a few games. It's been going well."

And his style of play and hopes? "I like playing wide, as wide as possible, then using my pace to get down the wing and get the ball into the box. I just want to get into the team to begin with, score some goals and hopefully get promoted."

Michael came on for his Spireites for half an hour or so of the home defeat against Grimsby Town, a tough introduction. Manager Lee Richardson's view on the new man was: "He's a player who will take time to bed in and settle down to what we want him to do. He's been used to playing in Premier League reserve football and he's going to have to learn what's needed and that's not going to be an overnight process."

"He reminds me of a lad we had here a few years ago, Jamie Burt, who had a lot of raw talent and pace and utilising that pace is going to be a challenge for us. It's sometimes difficult for the lads who come from the Premier League to adapt quickly but he's got plenty of time between now and the end of the season to adapt and make an impact."

PHIL TOOLEY