Victor Valdes speaks with pure class about his time at Manchester United

Victor Valdes describes his time at Manchester United as the biggest fight of his career but he doesn't hold it against the club.

The Spaniard arrived at Old Trafford last summer with three Champions League medals, a World Cup, a European Championship title and over a decade at Barcelona playing in one of the greatest teams of all time. He featured twice for Louis van Gaal. The 34-year-old admits that he had serious flirtations with retirement but now he's at Middlesbrough and now he has made peace with his time in Manchester.

"It's difficult to explain, but it was hard being alone. Sometimes at United I thought 'I don't need this', but I am a fighter and a professional," the 'keeper told Sky Sports. "I don't have any bad words for van Gaal or Manchester United. They helped me through my injury and the manager gave me my chance as a footballer at Barcelona and then again at United. "He's like a father figure to me. I don't want to remember the last six months in a bad way - for me he is in the top. We are still friends and there is no problem between us."

But if it wasn't for the influence of one of the underage coaches at the club when Valdes was expelled away from the first team, his future might've looked very different. It might've had no sight of football which is strange for a man, who just the season previous had been starting at the Nou Camp.

"I want to say in a public way thank you to the U21 coach Alan Fettis - without him I may have given up football," he said. "He made me keep going and stopped me when I was thinking about bringing my career to an end."

Humble and classy. Two words you mightn't have associated with him watching during his time at United. Read more