OLIVER NORWOOD has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson gave the green light to his Huddersfield Town move.

Manchester United were keen to keep the 21-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder, and offered him a new contract this summer.

But the Burnley-based player chose to take the Championship challenge, and made his fifth pre-season appearance for Simon Grayson’s side in Saturday’s goalless draw at Oldham.

Click below for an image gallery from the game

"I had a fantastic schooling at United, and latterly I was training with the likes of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand," said Norwood, who has had loan spells at Carlisle, Scunthorpe and Coventry but never made the first team at Old Trafford.

"You can’t fail to learn from watching players like that at close quarters, and hopefully Huddersfield will see the benefit.

"I could have stayed with United, played in their reserves and hoped to get a chance in the first team, but realistically, I think I needed to move away and as soon as I spoke to Huddersfield, it was an easy decision to make.

"When I told Sir Alex of my choice, he was great. He told me I was a good player going to a good club and that the next time he saw me, it should be in the Premier League!

"I’m an ambitious player and Town are an ambitious club, and while nobody is getting carried away, I certainly don’t think we should fear anyone playing in the Championship.

"We haven’t produced the kind of performances we’d have liked so far in pre-season, but we have a good squad here and I’m confident we’ll give it a right good go."