Local hero: Kobbie Mainoo bringing cheer at troubled Manchester United

Amid all the joylessness that can come with being a modern football fan, concerned by takeovers, the cost of attending matches and the inevitability that your club is not as successful as you desire, there is one thing that will always bring cheer: a local academy graduate making an impression in the first team.

The latest such Manchester United prodigy is the Stockport-born 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who at Newcastle on Saturday night will be aiming to make his second Premier League start. 

Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood have made an impression in the first team over the past decade but it is rare that a local player progresses through the system there, with the majority coming from further afield. 

Many have enjoyed fleeting appearances but it is difficult to become a regular at the elite level at which United are trying to operate.

Mainoo was a key component of Travis Binnion’s FA Youth Cup-winning side of 2022. 

The central midfielder, playing alongside Dan Gore, scored twice on the way to the final and was a calming influence in front of 67,000 fans at Old Trafford as United defeated Nottingham Forest to secure the trophy. 

It was an early indication that Mainoo is not fazed by the occasion or the pressure that comes with it.

Since joining United aged nine, Mainoo has impressed coaches with his attitude and belief he would make it as a professional there. 

He is quiet and assured off the pitch but expresses himself on it and the club always thought he had a strong chance of progressing with them.

Erik ten Hag, upon arrival last year, evaluated the youngsters and who could make the step up to his squad. Mainoo was soon identified and began training with his senior colleagues in October last year,