Man United legend Norman Whiteside sells medals, memorabilia for £140k to top up pension

Former Manchester United star Norman Whiteside has revealed that he's been forced to sell off his FA Cup final medal in an attempt to top up his pension by £140,000 ($172,000). The former Northern Ireland footballer was one of the several phenomenal talents who have succeeded at Old Trafford. Whiteside, now 55, spent seven seasons at Man United, marking off a splendid stint with the Premier League heavyweights. 

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Man United legend Norman Whiteside to sell medals amid the financial crisis

Veteran Man United fans remember Norman Whiteside as the one who scored the winner in the 1985 FA Cup final. However, these are testing times for the Man United legend, who made a total of 38 appearances for the Northern Ireland national team. To make ends meet, Whiteside has decided to take the unusual route and a tough decision to sell off his memorabilia, including the 1985 FA Cup winners' medal. 

Reports state that the medal will be up for a sale for a price of at least £15,000 ($18,500), while the whole collection is expected to fetch him £140,000. The auction is set to take place on July 29, as confirmed by Norman Whiteside. The former Man United midfielder has never been shy of speaking about his modest lifestyle. Whiteside once asserted that his parents were proud of his achievements but were quite modest. 

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What happened to Norman Whiteside, Man United's youngest captain?

Norman Whiteside, who now relies on a meagre pension, was forced to hang his boots at the age of 26 due to an injury. The former midfielder made his debut for Man United at the age of 16 and went on to break Brazil legend Pele's record as the youngest player to play at the FIFA World Cup at the age of 17 years and 41 days. He also holds the record of being the youngest captain in Old Trafford history at the age of 20. 

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What happened to Norman Whiteside after his stint with Man United?

Norman Whiteside spent seven seasons at Man United, managing 278 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions. The midfielder also scored 68 times before departing to Everton for a two-season stint. His career lasted nine seasons at the top level before suffering an Achilles injury blow that brought an end to his professional career. 

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Image courtesy: Man United Twitter handle