FLETCH SPEAKS

Darren, could you have imagined that things would go so well for you in
one year?

"You don't try and imagine, you just have to be confident in your own ability.
When you play in the first team, they say you don't want to go back to the
reserves and I didn't. I was itching to get more games. It takes time at first
because the manager will put you in and then take you out for two or three
games, it can be very difficult."

Were you confident in your own ability?

"I was always fairly confident in my ability and I think I showed that towards the end of last season. I had a good run of games leading up to the FA Cup final andreally enjoyed myself. I was looking to build on that this season, but so far
injuries and suspensions haven't let that happen as much as I would have liked. But I'm fully focused and raring to go now."

So you were familiar with most of the players when you first started getting
into the first team?

"Yeah. When you first go into the first-team dressing room it can be a little bit
daunting, but you're not among strangers, just superstars you have respect for
like Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy...
It's a great experience and sometimes you learn just as much talking to those
players before and after games as you do from playing alongside them on the
pitch."

So many players you have played with as a youngster at United don't quite
make it. They just get to then fringes and then leave. What does it take to
go that extra bit further and make it here?

"I don't know what it takes. It's obviously really hard to get into Manchester
United's first team. You've got to have that something extra to stay there. I don't think I've proved that yet. I've seen players come in for a year, do quite while but then they're not here any more. So I'm not taking anything for granted. I'm just looking to keep my name in and around the first team and be here for a good number of years before I can say I'm established."

Do you feel slightly more pressure this season because you had such a
good debut season last year?

"A lot of people have said that, but I look at last year as a learning experience
when I was laying the foundations which I am now looking to build on. It's hard at first, especially at United with all the superstars in the team. This season, I would like to play more games and hopefully win more trophies. We won the FA Cup last year but now we are looking for the bigger trophies like the Premiership and the Champions League."