Who is this Oliver Gill then?

Oliver Gill will be looking to take his chance in United's first team

Man United chief executive David Gill will have more than just a vested interest in tonight’s Champions League game against Wolfsburg in Germany. With United’s squad decimated by injury and missing 15 players, Sir Alex Ferguson has called on youth players to bolster their ranks in tonight’s game where a point a single point will see United qualify as group winners.

Joining the inexperienced Matt James, Cameron Stewart, Magnus Eikrem and Oliver Norwood is Oliver Gill, the 19 year old son of David Gill.

The 19 year old has been at Old Trafford since he was 12 but only signed professional papers on July 1st of this year so his call up has come as somewhat of a surprise. But there will be no cries of Nepotism here as Ferguson isn’t one for sentiment and insists,

“If he’s good enough, he plays. That’s the name of the game. My son Darren played for me for four or five years. He was treated the same as any other player and Oliver will be treated the same way.”

The tall and commanding defender has made 9 appearances for the reserves this term already and his u18 coach Paul McGuiness claims,

“Oliver is a tall and intelligent central defender, one on one he is very dogged and determined and difficult to get past.”

Not just a centre back, Gill can also play as a left back but with Patrice Evra still fit don’t expect to see him there. In the last year the defender has matured physically and Ferguson has noticed, stating:

“Over the last year or so, he is developing physically. He was rakish and gangly and lacked physical strength but he has done well, the boy.”

His physical development has added height and strength in the air to his game, coming in handy at both ends of the pitch.

Gill, who chose to stay at United rather than go to university, realises the task he has ahead of him if he is to forge a career at Old Trafford,

“I really want to give football my best shot. I am good enough to have a professional career at some level. Ideally that would be with Manchester United but realistically the competition is very strong and few players from the academy make it into one of the world’s top club sides.”

but with Jonnny Evans and John O’Shea both expected to be out until the new year and no return date for Rio Ferdinand, if Gill does make it on field tonight and impresses he could very well begin to carve out a career for himself at Old Trafford.