'I truly couldn't stand it' - former Man Utd midfielder quit the club after players 'who were not as good' played instead of him

A former Manchester United player left the club as he "couldn't stand players who were not as good" being picked ahead of him.

Nicky Butt, who graduated from United's academy before making 387 appearances for his boyhood club, lifted eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League during a 12-year spell.

His contribution to one of the club's most successful spells in their history was undoubted as the midfielder featured in their Champions League final win over Bayern Munich in 1999, amongst other major finals.

But towards the end of his time at Old Trafford, a frustrated Butt became irritated by a lack of first-team minutes.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, the now-Salford City co-owner gave an insight into his Old Trafford departure as he discussed playing a bit-part role under Sir Alex Ferguson.

"[Paul] Scholes and [Roy] Keane were better than me but I always played in the big games because we would play a three in midfield," he said. "So I was okay. Not always dead happy but okay.

"But I truly couldn't stand players who were not as good as me playing instead of me. Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba. Just because they had been bought. I couldn't have it so I left. But it was hard."

After slipping down the pecking order, Butt ended his 15-year association with United in 2004 before penning a four-year deal with fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

Butt later revealed that local rivals Manchester City made an approach when he left United.

"When I left United, Man City - Stuart Pearce was in charge - called me to ask me to go" Butt told talkSPORT. "It couldn't really happen because of the dynamic of my life in Manchester and my family, they wouldn't have had a life, so it would have been a disaster first of all.

"It would have been alright for me as I could have got out of the way, but my close family would have had a load of stick."

Manchester City made an approach for Butt. Image credit: Getty

But added: "Arsenal was another one. The big one was Stuart Pearce, he rang me up, but it was never going to happen."