David Beckham paid tribute to his former Manchester United youth team coach Eric Harrison following his death at the age of 81.
As head of United's academy side from 1981, Harrison oversaw the development of the group of players that would become known as the 'Class of '92', or "Fergie's Fledglings".
Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes all came through United's ranks under Harrison's watch – with the first four winning the FA Youth Cup with him in 1992.
Just four months after that success in the FA Youth Cup, Beckham made his first-team debut for Alex Ferguson's United and went on to have an illustrious career for the Red Devils, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and England.
He considered Harrison as a mentor, and amusingly reflected on the occasions he got frustrated with a young Beckham's obsession of playing sweeping diagonal passes across the pitch, something that became a trademark of the midfielder later in his career.
"We've lost our mentor, our coach and the man who made us," Beckham wrote on Instagram.
"He taught us how to play, how to never give up, how important it was to win your individual battles and what we needed to do to play for Manchester United Football Club.
"He was always watching and always with us every time we played. I can still hear him telling me, 'NO MORE HOLLYWOOD PASSES'.
"I can still see him as we played on The Cliff training ground, looking down on us either with a proud smile or a loud bang of his fist on the window, knowing any minute he would be on his way down to probably advise me in the most polite way to stop playing those passes.
"More importantly he made us understand how to work hard and respect each other and not just on the pitch.
"We won't forget the life lessons he gave us. Eric, we love you and owe you everything."
