The 20-year-old has rediscovered his passion for the game after a decade-long spell with United came to an end

Just a couple of days before Christmas 2024, James Nolan discovered his Manchester United career would be drawing to a close. The full-back spent over a decade at United, captaining the Under-18s side and playing alongside future first-teamers Kobbie Mainoo and Jack Fletcher, but would leave a few months later without making a senior appearance.

Nolan, from Chorley, has fond memories of his time at Old Trafford but acknowledges he fell out of love with football following his release as he found it tough to find a new club. A switch to the small-sided Baller League has transformed that, however, with the 20-year-old enjoying being surrounded by others who share similar experiences of 11-a-side football to his own.

“I was very close to Man United’s first team,” Nolan told Mirror Football. “I was packed and ready to go to Wembley when they played Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final. [Sofyan] Amrabat was injured and I was near enough there, then Amrabat ends up being fit.

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“Then, going out to America [in pre-season] on my first year pro, I’ve got all my kit and then on the day I wasn’t named in the squad to go. So I was touching it [and] that’s why I think I was obviously so disheartened by it all. Because you’re that close and then to obviously be so far away, it’s difficult.”

Nolan joined United aged seven before rising all the way up to Under-21 level – where he proved versatile across both full-back roles – and earning a pro deal with the club. He turned his attention to securing a loan switch for the 2024/25 campaign as he sought his first experience of senior football, securing a temporary move to Inverness Caledonian Thistle following a deadline day approach from manager Duncan Ferguson.

“A couple of months into my time there, I’m loving it, playing every game, scored my first professional goal against Cove Rangers… and then we went into administration,” he said. “The plan from United, my agent and me was to go there till Christmas and then you can come back down south and [United might want me to go] somewhere else.

“We went into administration before Christmas. And then it was two days before Christmas while I was just about to drive back home before Christmas.. I got a phone call from the two main guys United in the academy just thinking it was a check-up.

“I hadn’t really heard much from from United whilst I’d been up there. So it was two days before Christmas, I get a phone call and just think it was a chat [but] near the end of the phone call I got this feeling that something was coming.

“In my head, I’d thought I’d done well, I thought I’d done myself justice up there and then they just turned round and said that we aren’t going off for you a new contract, which is obviously a kick in the teeth. It was a tough one to take and then it did sort of ruin my Christmas

“After that I’d sort of fallen in love with Inverness, as a club, because you’re sort of so alone up there, isolated, so everyone’s so close. I thought, you know what? I’ll see if anything comes up in the January transfer window. And if not, I’m happy to stay. And then nothing came up but then we ended up finishing the season off staying up with the minus 15 [points]. So it was a massive achievement.”

Nolan had trained alongside United’s first team after progressing through the academy, including with Cristiano Ronaldo in one of the final sessions before the veteran departed in 2022. He speaks warmly of how the coaching staff handled him, though, mentioning Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher by name, while also holding fond memories of some of the senior players.

“All the coaching staff were absolutely sound but I think Steve and Darren took that fatherly figure and got you involved,” he added. “Then obviously [when you] meet in the little boot section where everyone put their boots on, everyone would come over to say hi and then obviously you’d walk out and then you’re looking next to you and you’ve got Bruno, but everyone gets you involved.

“It’s not like you’re going into like the Lion’s den. Everyone understands that. Yeah, you’re under 18, under 21, whatever. But they obviously know you’ve got enough to be there so they sort of take you under their wing.

“Harry Maguire was top with it. He was very good looking after us. We had Scott McTominay, obviously, he’s come through, you know, when it’s like and then obviously you’ve got Rashy (Marcus Rashford) as well.

“You genuinely can’t knock them. Everyone’s just normal lads, everyone’s there because you love football and it’s special because it’s a once in a lifetime thing to do.

“It’s like, 0.01 percent for someone, that. Such a small margin of people get to do it and I’ve been one of them that has got to experience it, which I’ll obviously be forever grateful for.”

Following the completion of his season-long loan, it was time to bid farewell and seek new opportunities. He came back to United to collect his belongings and say some goodbyes but efforts to find a new club weren’t as successful as he’d initially hoped.

“I was lucky at that point to have my missus and my family around me because it was a really tough two or three months after I got released. Because I felt like there was nothing to show from my hard work,” Nolan said.

“I fell out in love with it, which is a tough pill to swallow because football had been my whole life forever. I knew absolutely nothing different from that.”

Nolan spent some time in non-league at the start of the 2025/26 season but consciously chose to step back to spend more time with family and friends, something he hadn’t been able to do as much while at United. He acknowledges that his preference to dive straight into men’s football rather than return to the academy life after his release may have limited his options – his stint at Inverness had whetted his appetite and he craved more, despite the challenge of administration.

Eventually, the opportunity to earn a Baller League deal presented itself. A number of players in the small-sided league have signed up after stints in top academies, with former Tottenham forward Kazaiah Sterling and ex-United and Arsenal goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk among those who’ve made the switch.

Nolan sought advice from his friend Bryan Ly to get a sense of what to expect and was immediately sold on the idea. Ly was the top scorer in the inaugural Baller League season with 21 goals and is now in his third year in the competition, while he also has experience of non-league football.

“I spoke to him about it [and he] said it’s probably one of the best things he’s ever done,” Nolan revealed. “When the opportunity came up, with things that have happened on my side with 11-a-side, I thought I can’t say no.

“It’s like a once in a lifetime thing and [if] I go and do well. It opens more doors for me and it’s just an unreal experience to be a part of.”

United have emphasised the measures they’ve taken to support their former players – those who have moved on to play elsewhere after graduating from the academy. The initiative, dubbed ‘United Once, United Forever’, was unveiled during the 2023/24 season with the aim of broadening players’ understanding of all facets of football, not merely the playing aspect.

Nolan seems to have found a sense of community through Baller League but Nick Cox, United’s director of academy when the project was launched, acknowledged that each situation is unique. “It’s also about creating a network for the young players where they can share experiences, ideas and skills to the betterment of everyone,” Cox stated.

“These boys may not have achieved what they hoped to on the football pitch but you tend to find that young boys who are committed to excellence in football are really resilient, resourceful, creative, purposeful, talented young people.”

Nolan’s switch to Baller League has seen him join forces with the Gold Devils squad, overseen by YouTuber Mark Goldbridge, where his colleagues include the competition’s record goalscorer Bilal Sayoud. He acknowledges the league is brimming with quality, whether that’s the ex-Premier League stars or the gifted players who never secured their chance at the elite level of 11-a-side football.

Nolan explains: “It’s just such a mix of players where you look and think ‘you can go far’. Even in Baller League, Bilal’s been there three seasons and he’s done unbelievable. It just just opens more doors and then gives you experiences that you might never have again.”

His spell at Manchester United might not have concluded as he’d have wished but Nolan can still look back at the positives. Beyond that, he’s delighted to have discovered a setting where he can relish his football once more.

Baller League Season Three is available to watch live on www.youtube.com/@BallerLeagueUK