But those setbacks gave him a boost to help future players, and the Manchester United manager is now preparing to lead his team to the FA Youth Cup final against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night in front of 65,000 fans at Old Trafford.
Appointed U-18 head coach at the start of the season, the 35-year-old has overseen a memorable run to the Red Devils’ first final appearance since Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and company won it in 2011.
Binnion was on the other bench that night as part of Sheffield United’s youth coaching setup, having come through their academy before he was injured.
“I was 18 years old, I was coming up on my 19th birthday, I was playing a game and I just went to kick a ball around,” he said.
“The midfielder I was playing against cut it off and I only felt pain in my hip. I didn’t kick a ball again for 18 months.”
Binnion underwent surgery three times before returning to action and then played for IFK Mariehamn in Finland before the problem recurred.
“It happened again so I found myself out of contract and needed to have both hips operated on,” he said.
“I got a lot of help, help from the surgeon, help from my parents, but it got to the point where it wasn’t right. I could function in everyday life, but found myself unemployed and in debt.
“Fortunately, the people at Sheffield United, like Ron Reid and Kevin Fogg, were brilliant with me. Scott Sellars was also there and they welcomed me with open arms.”
For many, going from playing games to hosting school parties and the like would stick in the stomach, but Binnion was brought to his knees and John Pemberton took him under his wing after becoming the Blades’ academy manager.
It was a role he would eventually fill during his long association with Sheffield United, before leaving in 2019 and becoming Manchester United’s Under-16 manager.
“I want people to have the career that I didn’t have,” Binnion said. “My cheating, even without the injuries, and maybe how I didn’t develop my game to the fullest. Just things you learn along the way, good and bad, from your coaches in the formative years. You kind of collect all of that and I know I’ve always had a good work ethic.”
“I was brought up the right way, so I always want to work hard and improve and put those qualities into the players I manage and the staff I manage.”
Binnion is self-deprecating, but openly admits that he is a much better coach than he is a player.
The 35-year-old is enjoying working with the current generation of United youngsters, many of whom he has known since working in his previous role, and will be proud to see them walk out at Old Trafford in front of more than 65,000 on Wednesday.
“I think we have some really good talent and they have a really good way of doing it,” Binnion said.
“I think those are the two things that define how far you’re going to go and we think we’ve got some players that can go really far in the game and that’s the most exciting thing.
“That’s more exciting than the final because what these guys are doing 30, 35 is more important than what they’re doing on Wednesday.
“It’s a nice experience for them as a group to try to win something.
“Winning anything in life is very, very difficult. Being in the mix is a fantastic achievement and then crossing the line is going to be an incredible achievement.”
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-10 17:54:03
