'Man Utd made me a slave after I won every trophy possible - now I scream at the away fans'

View 3 Images

Tomasz Kuszczak once claimed he was being held captive by Manchester United after they blocked his move away. The Polish goalkeeper played for United between 2007 and 2012, during which he won a host of trophies, including three Premier League titles, two League Cups, the FIFA Cup World Cup and the Champions League .

He left for Brighton in 2012, enjoying two seasons on the south coast where he made 89 appearances - more than the 61 times he featured under Sir Alex Ferguson across six years. On Sunday, Kuszczak’s two former clubs go head to head at the Amex Stadium on the final day of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Kuszczak, who retired in 2019, still holds both clubs, especially United, close to his heart - so much so that he has two season tickets at Old Trafford and regularly attends games. But there was a point when the Pole became infuriated with the Red Devils’ treatment of him and fell out with Sir Alex for not letting him leave in November 2011, which he compared to being a "slave".

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Complaining about his treatment by the club, the then-29-year-old said: "I've talked to Sir Alex [Ferguson] lately. I asked him to let me leave the club before the January transfer window .

"I told him I want to get back into the national team, because Euro 2012 is just around the corner, but it seems he doesn't care. The possibility of two months' loan to Leeds came two weeks later. The club blocked it. It was a glimmer of hope for me. It would have reminded the Poland manager about me.

"Do they do it maliciously? I'm sad they behave like that. I've become a slave to Manchester. I'm frustrated but I don't want to slander or criticise Ferguson. It's not my style. I have respect for him because, for me, he's a great manager but I hope he will let me go in January."

He had been signed permanently from West Bromwich Albion in 2007 as an understudy to Edwin van der Sar with plans to eventually succeed him. But the goalkeeper’s pathway was blocked thanks to the Dutchman’s incredible longevity and David de Gea’s arrival in 2011.

By the 2011/12 campaign, Kuszczak was the fourth choice behind De Gea, Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos. He was the only senior United goalkeeper not to have received any first team minutes that season at the time of publicly venting his frustration.

View 3 Images

United refused to comment on the matter, though Kuszczak’s grievances were eventually heeded and he joined Watford on loan in February 2012, before signing for Brighton at the end of that season.

After hanging up his gloves, Kuszczak returned to Poland to launch a construction business and work as a goalkeeping coach. But he now lives in Manchester and loves nothing more than attending Old Trafford on matchday, where he regularly gives the away fans an earful.

"I’ve got two season tickets and I love sitting with the fans," he said. "I’m just in normal seats, not far from the away fans and I can go and shout the team on. I love it, I love it, it’s great.

View 3 Images

"Sometimes, my old friends like Wes [Brown] say come and sit with us [in another part of the ground] but I’m like ‘no, I want to be in my seat with the fans!’ I’m screaming from a different angle now, I used to scream from the goal, now I scream from the stands!"

"I’m enjoying my retirement," he added. "I prepared for this moment, I always have things to do. I’m in the property industry of building houses and flats, as well as football that’s always been my passion, to develop things like this.

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.