In March 2007, Reds defender John O’Shea wrote himself into United folklore with one swing of his right boot. Planting the ball into the roof of Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina’s net, celebrations erupted in the away end, as the team and fans celebrated a famous, last-gasp win at Anfield.

With this in mind, fans will be delighted to see John pulling on the famous red shirt again when a team of club legends take on their Liverpool counterparts at Old Trafford on 21^st May. The Legends of the North match promises to be a memorable match-up and O’Shea is relishing his return.

“I’m sure that it’s going to be a fantastic day,” John said. “It’ll be great to see all the lads again, particularly the ones who don’t live locally to Manchester anymore who you don’t get to see as much.

“The fans will love to see them back, and the fact that we’re taking on Liverpool adds that extra edge and intensity to the match. I’m predicting a lot of goals!

“My 2007 winner is obviously the moment that stands out for me against them – it was a special day,” he added. “Gary Neville said to me afterwards: ‘That’s my dream, Sheasy, scoring in front of the Kop!’ so I was well aware what it meant to the club and the fans. These games are what it’s all about, so naturally I’m thrilled to be back and playing in this fixture again!”

John’s support for the Foundation has already gone beyond appearing in this match, as he recently visited our Street Reds project in Ashton-under-Lyne where he met participants and took part in a football session led by Foundation coaches.

The experience served to further inspire John’s enthusiasm for the Legends of the North game, as he commented: “When you see the work behind the scenes that the Foundation do, whether it be helping schools, or in projects all around the Greater Manchester area like today, it’s really special.

“The work that they put in creates a strong bond between the kids and the club, something that will hopefully continue to grow as they progress in their education and ultimately help them build a nice life for themselves.  

“We’re all incredibly excited to be back at Old Trafford of course, and really looking forward to playing in the game, but when you see what the Foundation does it really hammers home why we’re doing this!”

Manchester United Foundation works with young people in schools and community projects from across Greater Manchester and beyond. Proceeds from this game will go towards the continuation of this work and supporters wishing to attend the game can find more information and purchase tickets here.