​Being ‘too small to make it’ while playing academy football is a prevalent theme growing up. 

Lionel Messi, Riyad Mahrez and Lorenzo Insigne are just three names who were doubted due to their lack of physical attributes as youngsters but went on to play at the highest level for both club and country. 

However, when you think of Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, you associate him with being a powerful and impactful professional, with his strength and height alongside natural talent creating a footballer possessing a bright future. 

But that was not always the case; as at the beginning of 2015, an 18-year-old future Red Devils first-team anchor was only 5ft 6ins.

However, at the end of that same year, the English born, soon-to-be Scotland international had shot up thanks to an incredible 10-inch growth spurt to measure up at an impressive 6ft 4ins; the height he stands at today. 

And in an interview with Manchester United’s official website ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Liverpool this weekend, the youngster explained his incredible transformation in such a short space of time.

“It’s just more of the fact that my body was not ready at all”, he said. 

“Warren and Paul McGuinness were really good with me at that time, nurturing me and putting me in and out of training sessions while not giving me so much game time. 

“I’m at the height I am now and I want to keep going this season and get as much game time as I possibly can. I always knew I was going to be quite tall but maybe not that tall.

“I think when I was 13 or 14, if I was at another club who weren’t as patient with me as I was smaller and not playing games, I think they might have thought: ‘We’ll just get rid of him’. 

“I couldn’t fault United when I was growing up and how they treated me. How it’s panned out has obviously been really good.”

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