"Ryan Used To Say I Was Better Than Him"

Rhodri Giggs, the younger sibling of Ryan, reckons that he had the potential to make it as a United player, but lacked the maturity to keep his head together off the pitch.

He has had a stint at FC United and is now the player-manager at Salford City, but he has had a bad time before now.

He lowest point for him came when he spent nine months in Strangeways after assaulting some City fans outside a nightclub. His regrets over not getting his head down and concentrating on his career play on his mind regularly.

“I lacked confidence, I had the skills as a player but not the head. I’ve got that now,” he said. “That nags, not every day, but there’s enough of it to act as an incentive. I’ve got to work hard and believe in myself. I wish I had before. I could have played for United — Ryan would sometimes say to people that I was better than him when I was younger. I don’t believe that, but I had skill. I just wasn’t mature enough.”

Even a few years ago, Rhodri drove his £25k Porsche Carrera through Moss Side and parked it outside a takeaway whilst he went inside. Unsurprisingly, someone stole the car, indicating his poor judgement even as a 26-year-old!

Still, now playing for Salford, the city which Ryan was given the freedom of at the start of the year, Rhodri admits he gets some stick for being the lesser sibling in terms of footballing ability.

“The contrasts and comparisons made with me and Ryan have been unfair,” he said. “Even a couple of weeks ago someone said to me as I was running past their dugout: ‘You were never as good as your brother’’. I turned round and said: ‘Who is?’ The lad just looked at me and said: ‘Fair comment’.”