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Old Trafford has long been a place of dreams and drama, where careers are made and sometimes broken in an instant.
The Red Devils’ corridors see a constant shuffle of young talent, loan spells, and contract negotiations under immense pressure.
Goalkeepers in particular often face uphill battles, competing for limited first-team opportunities behind established stars.
Several players leave on loan to gain experience, hoping that a return to the first team will offer them the chance to prove themselves.
The journey for young prospects is rarely straightforward, and not every negotiation goes as planned.
One such story has now emerged from a former Manchester United goalkeeper, who has shared a stark and startling encounter with then-manager Erik ten Hag over a contract discussion.
Nathan Bishop, who joined United from Southend United in 2020 at the age of 20, recalled his experience during a revealing interview on The One Glove Beyond The Box podcast.
Nathan Bishop arrived at Old Trafford as a promising back-up with potential to push for starting berths, but things didn’t go to plan.
He never made a competitive first-team appearance for United and eventually moved on to Sunderland in 2023 before signing permanently with AFC Wimbledon in 2025.
The 26-year-old shot-stopper has since nailed down a starting berth with Wimbledon in League One, keeping three clean sheets this season as the Dons sit fifth in the table.
Speaking about the infamous meeting with Ten Hag, Bishop explained: “I built this scenario up.
“I needed to go up to Erik and speak about a new contract or the contract that had been offered.
“I wanted to go and play, leave and experience new things, maybe not sign a contract.
“I’d sat on this conversation in my mind for a long time. I’d gone over it and over it and over it and over it.”
He continued: “I didn’t think that it was right that I deserved to go and knock on his door.
“I thought, ‘who are you to go and knock on his door? You’re not playing, you’re just a joey, you’re a training goalie, shut your mouth, sign the contract and f*ck off’.
“That’s what I believed. And in my mind, when you believe something, you believe it, don’t you? You believe it’s true.”
Bishop then described the moment he finally approached the Dutch coach: “So I was like I’m not gonna go see him, and then, I built it up, I have to go and see him.
“I knock on his massive door, his door is huge, he opens it, ‘not today’, and shuts the door.
“I just stood outside the door, this big beam of wood, like ‘what the f*ck do I do now?’”
After United, Bishop gained experience across several loans and is now thriving with AFC Wimbledon on a three-year contract.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s managerial career has been tumultuous; he was sacked by United in October 2024 despite winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and later lasted just three games at Bayer Leverkusen.