Ian Chapman has never had a season quite like it as a third-tier full-back.

The Albion defender came up against Andrei Kanchelskis, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham at various times.

Beckham made his Manchester United debut in a League Cup tie in the 1992-93 season at the Goldstone.

But it was Giggs who proved the matchwinner on 75 minutes when the teams met again in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Albion battled well but went down 1-0 before 36,000, including 5,000 away fans.

Chapman recalls it being a test of ability and concentration for Barry Lloyd’s side.

He told The Argus: “Giggsy’s goal was a free-kick over the wall.

“We just tried to stay in the game and I thought we did that until a point in the second half. A bit of quality won them the game.

“Giggs would have been very young but it was impressive how he was on free-kicks.

“That showed he obviously had the respect of his senior team-mates. He was making his way and he had brilliant quality.”

Chapman enjoyed testing himself against the elite.

He said: “Obviously Beckham came on in the League Cup and I marked Kanchelskis a couple of times.

“In a game like that you feel exhausted afterwards because of the concentration levels. We had to keep our shape and work hard.

“I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. I remember Peter Schmeichel making a couple of saves from Clive Walker.”

There were no selfies or snaps on mobile phones back then after the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.

Chapman, now manager of Burgess Hill, said: “I had some photos from the day and we enjoyed it but it is more of a level playing field now.

“For us it was a case of third division against first and giving it everything we had got.

“These days I am sure the club are looking to progress at Old Trafford to a late stage of the competition.”

Man Utd: Schmeichel; Parker, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin; Sharpe, Ince, Phelan, Giggs; Wallace, McClair.

Albion: Beeney; Chivers, Foster, Bissett, Chapman; Codner, Wilkins, Munday, Walker; Kennedy (Edwards), Nogan. Unused sub: Crumplin.