FORMER Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop was mercilessly snubbed by former boss Erik ten Hag in contract negotiations.
The 26-year-old is now the first-choice stopper for newly-promoted League One side AFC Wimbledon.
Bishop signed for United on a two-and-a-half-year deal in 2020 and moved on to Sunderland in 2023 upon contract expiry.
He had loan spells at Mansfield Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Cambridge United before joining Wimbledon on a permanent basis in July 2025.
The Hillingdon native said he “sat on the conversation in his mind for a long time”, before building up the courage to approach ten Hag.
Speaking on The One Glove’s Beyond The Box podcast, Bishop said: “I knock on his massive door, his door is huge, he opens it and he says ‘not today‘, shuts the door.
“I just stood outside the door, like this big beam of wood, so what the f*** do I do now?”
He had previously convinced himself he wasn’t worthy of knocking on the gaffer’s door, before changing his mind.
Bishop said to himself: “Who are you to go and knock on his door?
“You’re not playing, you’re a training goalie, shut your mouth, sign your contract and f*** off.
“That’s what I believed. And in my mind, when you believe something, you believe it, don’t you?
“So I was like I’m not gonna go see him, and then, I built it up, I have to go and see him.”
Bishop may take comfort in the fact that ten Hag too didn’t last long in United’s managerial hotseat.
The Dutchman was sacked in October 2024 after a poor start to the season and was replaced by Ruben Amorim.
Ten Hag was appointed head coach of German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in May 2025, but his tenure lasted a mere three competitive fixtures before he was dismissed.
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