Michael Langan helps students find ‘safe space’ through Man United Foundation role

Donegal midfielder Michael Langan says his role as Manchester United Foundation program delivery officer at Rosses Community School is designed to make the school experience “as easy as possible” for the students attending.

The Creeslough man began the role last summer, just a few weeks after he played for Donegal in the 2025 All-Ireland SFC final against Kerry.

The programme is now in its second school year and sees Langan work with around 20 children.

“You’re working with a range of students that might have some difficulty coming into the school or might have problems in their own life or difficult upbringings, whatever, just a range of different problems they might face,” Langan tells Donegal Daily.

“I’m just trying to make their experience here in the school as easy as possible. The room is a big hit with the incoming first years who are coming to a new area and they're not too sure where's a safe space to come in.

“The room's a really safe space for them to come into. We do a bit of extra resource classes with them, a bit of one-to-one and there's some sport there. It’s been a great hit so far and we're really enjoying it.”

The Manchester United Foundation launched its first overseas partnership with Ulster University in 2018 and is also active in two schools in Derry - Oakgrove Integrated College and St Joseph’s Boys School.

The logo of the Club’s charity set to feature on the back of the Manchester United men’s team’s shirts for all European games this season.

The Foundation was established in 2007 and works with over 30,000 young people each year and delivers 129 projects, providing educational and community engagement programmes to help participants make positive choices in their lives.

Langan, a four-time Ulster SFC winner and an All-Star winner in 2025, says: “The Street Red session is one evening a week after school, where they come in and play football for an hour.

“Sometimes I take them out for a class, do a bit of PE and we have set up some different workshops. We have some companies who come in to talk to the students about opportunities that might be available to them in the future.”

Last season, a group of students visited Old Trafford and got a tour of the museum and a chance to play football around the stadium.

Langan - who will line out for St Michael's against Glenswilly in a Donegal SFC quarter-final on Sunday-week - hopes that his students can take in a United game at some stage soon.

“This program is so important and the Foundation is great; they’re always in contact,” he says.

"It's a great connection we have with the club and we have done different trips. I'm just trying to make their experience through school as easy as possible and the room's a safe space for them to come in, especially the incoming first years to meet new first years that are coming from different primary schools and just to set them up well for their years ahead.”

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