NEW Blackburn Rovers talisman Ben Marshall believes his departure from boyhood heroes Manchester United has been the making of him.

Salford-born Marshall spent seven years on the books of United, playing alongside Arsenal and England striker Danny Welbeck and his former Leicester City team-mates Danny Drinkwater and Matty James, before he was released at the age of 14.

He had to watchdon as Welbeck, who swapped Old Trafford for the Emirates Stadium in August, became the only player from his team to make the breakthrough into Alex Ferguson’s senior side.

But Marshall has no regrets as he believes he would have never be in the position he is now had he been kept on by United.

He moved to Crewe Alexandra’s famed youth set-up, where he worked under current Rovers assistant manager Terry McPhillips, before signing for Stoke City.

During his three years in the Potteries he spent loan spells at Cheltenham Town, Carlisle United and Sheffield Wednesday.

The 23-year-old then joined Leicester, where he linked up again with Drinkwater and Bacup-born James, and then Rovers, where is rapidly becoming one of Gary Bowyer’s most important players.

The former England U21s international has scored five goals this season, all of which have come in his last eight games, and his performances, whether they have been at right back, on the wing or behind the forwards, have been exceptional.

Now he is hoping to help Rovers win promotion back to the Premier League and meet up with some familiar faces.

“United let me go when I was 14,” said Marshall, who was given his England U21s debut by the manager of today’s opponents Nottingham Forest, Stuart Pearce.

“I was going through some growing problems but there were a lot of players who got kept on who aren’t even playing now.

“The only player who came out of it, who is not even there anymore, is Welbeck. They let a lot of players go who are playing in the Premier League now, like Matty James.

“It’s hard to get into United’s squad and the way it has gone for me, leaving United, is probably the best it could have gone.

“I probably would have been stuck there and not been out on loan.

“I went to Crewe and then Stoke signed me and the first thing the manager at Stoke told me was, ‘I want you playing games’, and I was out on loan when I was 17.

“If I was at United I reckon I wouldn’t have played a League game until I was 20-odd.

“I reckon I played nearly 100 games before I was 20 and I am happy about that.

“I have played in League Two, League One, the Championship.”

Next step the Premier League?

“We’ll see how it goes.”

Rovers go into today’s City Ground clash with Forest unbeaten in three matches and three points off the play-offs after Marshall fired them to a 1-0 win over Birmingham City at Ewood Park on Tuesday.

“I don’t think I’ve scored as many goals at the start of a season before,” said Marshall, who three days earlier netted a dramatic injury-time equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town.

“It’s good form but I’m just taking every game as it comes.”

Marshall, restored to the left wing, terrorised Birmingham in the second half.

The match-winner’s only disappointment was that he and his team-mates failed to make the margin of victory more emphatic.

“I think I should have scored another, I think Tom Cairney will agree he should have scored and Dunny (David Dunn) should have put one in too,” said Marshall, who was on target in last season’s corresponding fixture with Forest, which ended in a 4-1 defeat for a Rovers side still battle weary after their FA Cup replay at Manchester City.

“I think another day they go in and it’s 3-0 or 4-0. I think I heard their caretaker manager say it could have been a draw but I don’t know where that came from.”

Marshall knows Forest, who are unbeaten at home in the Championship this season, on their own patch will provide a sterner examination than managerless Birmingham.

He said: “It will be a good marker if we do beat them and play well.

 “They are a good side and if we can beat them it will be big confidence boost for the lads.”