“The difference between the reserves and first-team games is a feeling,” echoed defender Adam Eckersley. “In a first team, you’re someone important. You’re doing a job. You’re playing for points, for people’s livelihoods, for the manager’s job. We would get 6,000 or 7,000 people at Antwerp, rather than 300 down at Altrincham for United reserves. I saw my career as a ladder, and this was another step up the ladder.”
Inevitably, being away from friends and family provided the loanees with a surfeit of free time. While Bistiaux says, with a smile, that the fledglings, “discovered the beautiful city, enjoyed the good Belgian food and occasionally went clubbing”, striker Fraizer Campbell admits there were hijinks in his time spent sharing a flat with Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson and Danny Simpson.
“I remember one day we were bored, so we went to the equivalent of Toys R Us, got super soakers, water balloons and were just driving down the streets watering people from the car,” admits the former Reds striker. “Then we got a call from the manager saying: ‘What the hell are you doing?’ It didn’t help that we were driving a car with the team badge on the side. It all helped me grow, though. Some of my first experiences in life were out there.”
While the development of individual players was key from United’s perspective, the collective fortunes of Antwerp was always the priority for the club’s supporters. To see talented young loanees giving their all for the collective cause ensured a special place in Antwerp hearts for a number of the young Reds.
“Some players became very popular,” confirms Bistiaux. “Danny Higginbotham, Luke Chadwick – who helped us gain promotion in 1999/2000 – and Fraizer Campbell, to name just a few. I could also name Danny Simpson, Jonny Evans, John O’Shea, Kirk Hilton, Phil Bardsley and Ryan Shawcross. They were all very popular with the fans.”