'I made dream Man Utd goalkeeping debut - but brutal snub left me fuming'

Senne Lammens made a bright start to his Manchester United career this weekend, but as history shows, a strong debut doesn't always guarantee a permanent spot in the first team. This is a lesson that former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson learned the hard way.

After a sparkling debut for the club in a League Cup match against Luton back in 2020, Henderson was tipped for big things. Many, including then-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, saw him not only as United's future No. 1, but also England's. However, neither of these predictions came true.

With David de Gea firmly cemented as first-choice keeper, Henderson found chances hard to come by. He later hinted that promises had been broken and admitted that his patience at Old Trafford "wasted" a significant part of his career.

After joining United's academy in 2011, Henderson took his first steps into senior football on loan at Stockport County. His breakthrough, however, came at Sheffield United, where his standout performances in the club's 2019/20 Premier League campaign solidified his reputation as one of England's most promising talents.

Interest in Henderson was high at the end of the season, but he chose to stay at United after reportedly being told he'd be the first choice in a year's time.

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Things initially started brightly. After making what Henderson described as a "dream" debut for the club, he went on to make 26 appearances in all competitions in 2020/21.

"I dreamt about this my whole life!" Henderson wrote on social media after his first appearance in a United shirt. "Unbelievable feeling to make my debut for the club I love! Clean sheet and a win to top it off!!!"

Yet when the 2021/22 campaign got underway, it became obvious that De Gea wasn't going anywhere and would retain his status as first choice - leaving Henderson understandably disappointed.

"To sit there and waste 12 months is criminal really, at my age. I was fuming," he told talkSPORT in 2022. "I turned so many good loans down last summer for that reason [being promised No.1 spot], and they wouldn't let me go. It was frustrating."

Henderson decided to take control of his own destiny, hastily arranging a temporary switch to Nottingham Forest ahead of new boss Erik ten Hag's summer 2022 arrival. "I didn't really want the manager to come in and be able to see me in training because I knew he'd probably want to keep me," Henderson explained.

"So I tried to do it all before I left for the season, I told all the hierarchy I need to go and play football. I don't want to be here playing second fiddle. And it panned out so I was almost gone before the manager came in the door and I haven't spoken to him since."

At the City Ground, Henderson finally secured the regular minutes he'd been desperate for. However, an untimely thigh problem sidelined him for the second half of the campaign, disrupting the progress he'd at last begun to make.

After a permanent switch to Crystal Palace in 2023, he initially shared goalkeeping duties with Sam Johnstone. However, by the 2024/25 campaign, Henderson had truly made his mark - securing his spot as Palace's top-choice goalkeeper.

He ended the season on the highest of notes, saving a penalty in Palace's stunning 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Now, he stands as a pivotal figure in the squad as the club embarks on its maiden European journey in the Conference League this season.

United must be ruing their decision to let Henderson leave, at least to some degree. The man who was blocking his path, David de Gea, left the same summer he did, and De Gea's successor, Andre Onana, endured a torrid two-year spell between the sticks before being loaned out to Trabzonspor last month.

In the weeks since, Altay Bayindir has been given the task of filling the void, with varying degrees of success. However, there is a glimmer of hope. Summer recruit Lammens made a promising impression during Saturday's 2-0 victory over Sunderland, pulling off a couple of key saves to secure United's first clean sheet of the season.

The Belgian also stood out for his composure, both on the ball and when facing shots, and seems well on his way to establishing himself as United's No. 1. But as Henderson's cautionary tale has shown us, a positive start doesn't guarantee anything.

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