Marc Whiteman has a smile on his face, and that is great news for Lewes fans.

Two years ago Whiteman was mixing with the likes of Ferguson and Beckham as a young professional with Manchester United.

Now it is King and Cable down the Dripping Pan as part of the Rooks' Ryman division one south table-topping side.

From Old Trafford to Lewes is quite a comedown but Whiteman is enjoying his football again and that means everything to the 20-year-old.

He said: "For the last two years I haven't enjoyed football but I am enjoying it again now.

"Enjoyment is the main thing and success comes from that."

Whiteman, who comes from Jersey, was a top junior and moved to Manchester at 15 as part of his schoolboy terms with United. Aged 16, he signed a three-year contract with the Red Devils, one year as a YTS and the next two as a professional.

He made a handful of reserve team appearances but intense competition for places made it hard just to get in the youth team and missing four months with a persistent ankle injury in his first year as a professional did not help his cause.

At the end of that year, Whiteman's contract was paid up and he joined cash-strapped Bury but that did not work out either and he dropped into non-league, firstly with Woking and then Weymouth.

Despite failing to make the grade at Old Trafford, Whiteman has fond memories of learning his trade at one of the biggest clubs in the world and working alongside some of the biggest names in the game.

He said: "It helped my game no end. A lot of lads at schoolboy level get the ball and just run past everyone. When you come into the pro game you can't do that as much and you have to become more clever.

"The only time Sir Alex Ferguson called me by my name was the day I signed and the day he let me go. Apart from that, it was 'All right, son?'

"Roy Keane kept himself to himself and David Beckham was quiet but I spoke to Sheringham, Giggs and Cole a lot. Sheringham was especially good with the young players.

"Gary Neville was the spokesman for the first team and if you had any problems you went through him. Sometimes people come across on television as nice but he really was."

Tomorrow Whiteman leads Lewes into FA Cup second qualifying round action away to Lowestoft Town. He has already bagged seven goals after his unlikely summer switch to the Dripping Pan.

He said: "I had been at a few clubs. It was always more a case of talking about money rather than ability and that was getting frustrating.

"I knew a lad who was at United and his dad was a friend of Steven King (Lewes manager).

"For his first real job in management, he is very keen. He doesn't just want to get promoted, he wants to win the league as quickly as possible."

Whiteman is already making a name for himself at Lewes, so does he fancy a return to the pro game?

"If I can play anywhere near my best I have a chance of getting back into it, but I am not using Lewes as a stepping stone.

"Hopefully we will win the league and do well in the FA Cup. If a big move came along you would have to look at it."