“It’s not the first time I’ve been released but it’s certainly the first time in this way”
Phil Marsh knows a thing or two about being released by a football club.
As a youngster at Manchester United eleven years ago, Sir Alex Ferguson once told him the club would be letting him go. Over a decade on, and Marsh – who has gone on to represent several clubs since leaving Old Trafford – has now been released by Rhyl.
The way in which the Welsh second division semi-professional side went about it, however, didn’t sit too well with the player.
A tweet from Marsh on Friday revealed how the club’s new manager notified him of the decision via text message. It read:
‘I’ve been giving the budget/ wages and after discussing with others we’ve decided we won’t need you next season.
‘We just want to be up front with everyone.’
Marsh jokingly informed his manager in his reply that he intended to return to United, but added he would have preferred to have found out the news of his release over a phone call.
When you get 🥧 of the new gaffa via text!!!! So you have to give them a bit of banta🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️😂😂 all the best pic.twitter.com/Mo3nHTCoSR
— Phil Marsh (@marshy2o) May 29, 2018
Speaking to BBC Sport, Marsh said: “It’s not the first time I’ve been released but it’s certainly the first time in this way. It’s about decency. It’s bad when they can’t even pick up the phone.
“I would have respected them more if they called me in face to face but to just get a text – I was shocked. It’s pretty bad really.”
As a striker, Marsh’s first team opportunities would have been limited at United with Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in their attacking ranks at the start of the 2007/2008 season. He also told the BBC how Alex Ferguson explained this to him, making it clear that the decision to release him was the best thing for him.
“I always respected Sir Alex for the way he went about it when I was released. He said it was for the good of my career with the quality they had and gave me genuine advice.
“Everyone deserves a bit of common decency.”
