Nicky Wood, then aged nineteen, was reported to be a former Manchester United player when he had a trial with Exeter City in September 1985. 

There is a degree of uncertainty about this player. The original version of this article suggests he was a former Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion reserve player who, on that basis, may have been seeking a contract to remain in the professional game.

Yet the age of the player, and the stated fact that he needed to retire from the game because of injury, point to the Nicky Wood who was still with Manchester United at the time and was three months short of making his first-team debut against Everton on Boxing Day 1985. On such a basis the conclusion would be that he had either been sent to Exeter City with an eye on a potential loan deal - or that the date is wrong and he didn’t arrive at St James’ Park until after his eventual release from Old Trafford several years later. 

We are told that the player appeared in the same Lancashire Schools side as Gary Jackson, who was to appear in over forty first-team games for Exeter City, and it is known that the Nicky Wood who appeared for Manchester United’s first-team made three league appearances, played for England Youth, had a spell with Altrincham and was forced to retire early because of a persistent back injury.