No regrets over United exit - Sylvan

When Sylvan Ebanks-Blake turns on his TV to watch Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final against Roma tonight, the Wolves hotshot won't have any regrets.

In July 2006, the 22-year-old became another Old Trafford statistic: one of countless young players who leave Manchester United every year after showing initial promise. Ebanks-Blake was one of the luckier ones, winning a £200,000 transfer to the Championship with another chance to prove himself with Plymouth Argyle.

And rather than mope and moan at what have been, this determined young man has used the ideals he was brought up on in four years coming through the ranks at United to relaunch his career.

Wolves are now seeing the benefit of the fruits of Ebanks-Blake's learning process, which also included five months on loan at United's Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp.

And the player himself is willing to apply those lessons re-establishing himself at the very top of the game - hopefully with Wolves.

"When I left United, a massive thing for me was that I never saw it as rejection," said Ebanks-Blake."I know players that have but I never looked at it that way at all.

"I had a great experience there - I had a good four years there and learned so much."

Players such as Wayne Rooney - just five months older than Ebanks-Blake - were already at Old Trafford and blocked his way.

But instead of jealousy, the Cambridge-born powerhouse has nothing but admiration for the top players' winning mentality which drives them to the game's biggest prizes.

"The players are some of the greats and you do pick it up," he said.

And to spur him on, he recalls a simple piece of advice from one of United's most popular players.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told me something that sticks with me: you never stop learning, now matter how old you are or how good you think you are," he said.

"There are strikers that can float in and out of games and come up with moments of brilliance.

"I have to be 'at it' and that comes from my background. That's what I'll do throughout my career."

And that's why Ebanks-Blake will smile as he turns on the TV tonight, with a nodding glance of thanks to the United greats.

By Tim Nash