Sean McGinty counts some big names in world football among his former team-mates.

The former Manchester United talent, 30, played alongside Paul Pogba in the Old Trafford youth ranks with Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm of the first team.

During his time at United - where he won the FA Youth Cup - Ayr United defender also called Jesse Lingard, Ravel Morrison and Sam Johnstone team-mates.

But when McGinty heads to Ibrox to take on Rangers in the Scottish Cup he'll be aiming to get one over on Tom Lawrence who was in the year below him in the Manchester United academy.

"I also know Tom Lawrence well as I played with him at Man Utd, so it’ll be good to be against him again," said McGinty ahead of Saturday's match.

“He was always a good player. He was the year below me. He wasn’t in that one {Youth Final].

“He’s been injured for a while, I know him quite well, so it’ll be good to go up against him.”

On his grounding at the Premier League giants, McGinty commented: “I started out at Charlton and was there for three years and made the move to Manchester United at 15.

“Moving up there was massive. My whole family came with me and I was up there for four years.

“I played with some of the best players. Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingaard, Ravel Morrison, Will Keane, Ryan Tunnicliffe. Some big, big names and some have gone on to do really good things.

“I still speak with the goalie Sam Johnson, we are quite close. 

“It was amazing. It was a great start for me in my football journey and I feel I learnt a lot.

“I won the FA Youth Cup. The Final at Bramall Lane was their biggest attendance of the whole season. 33,000 I think.

“I think I was 17 and to be in that at that age was massive. Then played at Old Trafford in front of 40,000.

“It was pretty special. He [Ferguson] was in the stadium [when we won] and those photos and memories will live with me forever. Fantastic.

McGinty left Old Trafford in 2013 to join Sheffield United but admits he was perhaps a little hasty to leave with Ferguson's successor David Moyes handing opportunities to youngsters. But the defender is intent to now achieve his goal of playing in the Scottish Premiership.

“They have done great in the game and fair play," said McGinty of his star-studded team-mate list. "Maybe I left a year too early as I left just when [Sir Alex] Ferguson left and the new manager came in and probably gave the young ones a little bit more of a chance.

“So I probably just missed the boat. Your Sam Johnston’s, Michael Keane, Pogba has had a good career and made a lot of money.

“But, look, I’ve been in the game a long time. I played a lot of games and made nearly 400 appearances.

“So I am pleased with my career so far and I am still only 30 years old.

“So I’ll still try and push on and my aim is to play in the Scottish Premiership.

“I want to try and get up there. I came to Scotland six years ago and my aim was to get there.”

McGinty and his current squadmates will be led to Ibrox by Scott Brown - who has experience winning against Rangers as Celtic captain.

But the stopper insists Brown hasn't brought up his experiences against Rangers, instead focusing on a game plan to cause a Scottish Cup upset.

“He’s never brought it up," said McGinty of Brown's record at Ibrox or his six Scottish Cup wins. "He obviously did really well in the competition and he and Whitts have great experience in the competition.

“There’s probably not too many people better to be leading us into this game, so he’ll give us confidence and a good gameplan to try and get at them and test them and make it a really good game.

“It’s fantastic. A great occasion and the boys are buzzing for it."