{"id":195086,"date":"2025-07-30T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/i-was-at-man-united-with-rashford-my-cake-business-now-helps-next-generation\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:00:00","slug":"i-was-at-man-united-with-rashford-my-cake-business-now-helps-next-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/i-was-at-man-united-with-rashford-my-cake-business-now-helps-next-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"I was at Man United with Rashford – My cake business now helps next generation"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ntumba Massanka’s most heartbreaking moment in life came in football – so it’s all the sweeter that the business world has seemed like a piece of cake.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Family is a core theme of his journey, from Manchester United<\/a>, his home-away-from-home in Wrexham<\/a>, and now his local community.<\/p>\n

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Massanka won the NPL Division One West with Macclesfield<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Born in Tottenham to two pastors, his parents relocated to Manchester with their church when he was around four-years-old.<\/p>\n

Twelve months later, he first honed his skills on the street with his uncle, who was alongside him at age six when United spotted his talents in a youth tournament at the club’s old training ground, The Cliff.<\/p>\n

Despite being the ‘only lad’ not plucked from Manchester-based side Fletcher Moss Rangers<\/a>, the now 28-year-old quickly flourished.<\/p>\n

He was looked after by Eddie Leach, ‘top coach and even better person’, Massanka described during our exclusive interview.<\/p>\n

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read more Man United news<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

The striker told talkSPORT.com: \u201cI’d never played Sunday League. All I knew of football was going to that Manchester United session.\u201d<\/p>\n

Massanka spent six years in the Old Trafford youth set-up, but gained a perspective of the enormity of the club he was at just as he was about to leave.<\/p>\n

The forward had travelled overseas to Italy for tests against Ajax, Real Madrid<\/a>, and hosts, Inter Milan<\/a>, where a message from senior academy coach, Eamon Mulvey, would follow him home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember him saying, ‘Look, this is the biggest club in the world and everyone will want your shirt’,\u201d Massanka added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got to the hotel, and all the players from the other teams were knocking on our door asking for our shirts. That was at 12 years old.<\/p>\n

Massanka was brought back down to earth faster than a plane when, on the cusp of his teenage years, he was released by United.<\/p>\n

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\"Massanka<\/a><\/p>\n

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Massanka was part of the same Man Utd age-group as McTominay (bottom, far right)<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Manchester United exit<\/h2>\n

He explained: \u201cI was gutted because I was leaving my friends at the time. These are people that I’ve spent all my childhood years with. We’d seen each other grow. We’d been on that journey at Man United for a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo this day. I’ve never been more heartbroken than that day when I got told I got released,\u201d Massanka continued to talkSPORT.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, the best way I can describe it, I was sick for a week. I didn’t leave my room for one week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was that heartbroken about obviously leaving United. It was a family club, so I felt like I was leaving my family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like I’d been kicked out of my own family. It was tough, honestly, it was really, really tough.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd because that’s all I’d been used to, it was tough to go elsewhere – When you’re at Man United as a kid, you don’t think of anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Massanka was one of the only players not recruited from McTominay’s Manchester-based grassroots side, Fletcher Moss Rangers<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barcelona ‘suits’ Marcus Rashford<\/h2>\n

That is something over a decade later that two of his former Red Devils academy mates have discovered after rising through the ranks.<\/p>\n

Scott McTominay<\/a>, the star of Massanka’s age-group, has enjoyed a new lease of life at Napoli<\/a> after saying goodbye last summer.<\/p>\n

Marcus Rashford<\/a>, in the year below, has now followed suit by completing a season-long loan move<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span> Barcelona.<\/p>\n

Massanka revealed: \u201cFor me, seeing Marcus at Barcelona, I think Barcelona definitely suits him. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf he was ever going to leave Man United, it was going to be for a club like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, it is a bit strange, seeing him in different colours. It was strange seeing him at [Aston Villa], not at United, because that’s all he’s known and that’s all I’ve obviously known him as United.<\/p>\n

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Rashford in the year below also started out at Fletcher Moss Rangers<\/span>Credit: PA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBut I think Barcelona suits him, obviously, the stature of the club. Obviously, it’s as big as Man United. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think the best players should play at the best clubs. I think Marcus has got so much talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI genuinely hope, and I really want him to do well at Barcelona. <\/p>\n

\u201cI believe he will do well at Barcelona, because he has the people around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe already seems happier, presumably from the videos that I’ve seen and stuff like that. So, I’m just wishing him the best.<\/p>\n

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Rashford is set to play outside of English football for the first time<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"McTominay's<\/a><\/p>\n

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McTominay’s whirlwind year has seen him become one of Napoli’s most loved icons<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘I thought Scott McTominay would captain Man United’<\/h2>\n

\u201cSeeing Scott at Napoli<\/a> was definitely strange, because I always thought Scott would captain Man United, even when we were kids. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn my age group, particularly, Scott was the standout player, and he was the best player in my age group. Back then, he was really, really small.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did say to me that he’s going to Napoli, I was just happy for him, to be quite honest, because I know what it’s like going to play abroad and leaving home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really, really happy and thankful it’s worked out for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Massanka<\/a><\/p>\n

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Massanka signed professional terms with Burnley after a stint at Man City’s academy<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As mentioned, Massanka has tested himself abroad after leaving Old Trafford, having also cut his teeth in Man City’s academy.<\/p>\n

He signed professional terms with Burnley in 2015, before enjoying spells in Belgium, at Italian side ASD Angelana, and in Cyprus.<\/p>\n

A highlight during this period remains his stint at ‘sleeping giant’ Wrexham, several years prior to the club’s takeover<\/a> by actors\u00a0<\/span>Ryan Reynolds<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Rob McElhenney<\/a>, and subsequent charge up the EFL.<\/p>\n

Ironically, it proved to be a Welsh celebrity in Robbie Savage<\/a> who brought him back to England as Macclesfield’s director of football<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Massanka helped the Silkmen win the NPL Division One West in 2023, by adding more than goals, having joined his mum and sister in the family’s cake business: Tshibangbakes.<\/p>\n

The 6ft 2in striker explained: \u201cI told them, ‘I’ll buy everything, you make the stuff, and I’ll take it to Macclesfield.’<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’d just won the league. I thought, ‘All right, let me take these desserts to the boys.’ It’s a celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macclesfield’s stars demolishing the cakes in 10 minutes was the push Massanka needed to use his connections to expand the business.<\/p>\n

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\"Massanka<\/a><\/p>\n

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Massanka revealed he’d love to get back to the racecourse at some point<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘Always grateful to Wrexham fans’<\/h2>\n

\u201cMy passion and my love have always been football,\u201d Massanka shared. \u201cThat’s always been my first love. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut as I’ve started to do business, one thing I realised is that there are so many transferable skills from football that I’ve now taken into this business that I’m doing now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a real passion for it, and I really enjoy being able to deliver really good desserts to people. I love networking. I have seen a massive change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last month, Tshibangbakes had the perfect networking opportunity at Jeremie Frimpong<\/a>‘s innovative tournament aimed at empowering youngsters to discover new career opportunities.<\/p>\n

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\"Frimpong<\/a><\/p>\n

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Frimpong at the event in Manchester<\/span>Credit: Pathways<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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He had only just become Liverpool’s first official signing of the summer<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Frimpong has launched Pathways Initiative<\/h2>\n

In a venture managed by Cedrick Ofori, the new Liverpool<\/a> star’s commercial manager and former Man City academy player, Dutch international Frimpong launched Pathways Tournament x Career Fair.<\/p>\n

The inaugural edition of the competition proved such a success that an expanded event is being planned next year at a bigger venue.<\/p>\n

Massanka told talkSPORT: \u201cI feel like Manchester needed something like that and it came at the perfect time, to be honest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s great to see, obviously, Jeremy back in England. He’s done really, really well out in Germany. He’s an absolutely amazing man.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re all really proud of him. Obviously, I’m a United fan, but to see him go inside for Liverpool was an amazing moment.. I think he’s going to smash it at Liverpool and that club suits him to a T.\u201d<\/p>\n

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His transition into business came during his time at Macclesfield<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Frimpong and Liverpool both put huge emphasis on community, with the aim of Join Pathways to help young players exiting football academies discover new career opportunities.<\/p>\n

No one understands the importance of that message more than Massanka; \u201cI was training pretty much every other day when I was a kid. So obviously, you miss out on a lot, don’t you?<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like now, when it comes to my friends who have not played football and they just live the normal life, that tracks. if that makes sense. I’m behind in life. Whereas they’re more probably established.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, his life and career have come full circle since he felt like he’d been kicked out of his family when he left Man United, before his real one renewed his purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow there is a lot more support for younger kids at academies, Massanka said. \u201cBut I think that the support’s only there because my generation, I’d say, has forced it to be there.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of things are happening now. Kids are getting paid better when they’re coming through academies. There’s a lot more care.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still think there’s so much more that can be done for kids, also. Every club should have a duty of care that when a player comes into their system, whether that’s from six years old or 15 years old, they should be gathering information on that player.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot based on their football ability. They should be gathering information based on what the person actually likes outside of football.<\/p>\n

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\"Tshibangz<\/a><\/p>\n

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Tshibangz Bakes has gone from strength to strength<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

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The former Man United academy star has transferred his football skills to the business world<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThey need to try their hardest to find what their player enjoys outside of football. So what’s the second hobby?<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that when football doesn’t work or when they have to retire or whatever, they have something else that they can fall back into. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was very, very lucky that my sister and my mother actually started that business; otherwise, I wouldn’t have known what I enjoy. <\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve only ever played football. I’ve never even dreamt of doing anything else. At United, the coaches always used to say, ‘Maybe one of you will only ever play for United.’<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the chances of [just one doing] that are slim. So you need to know what you’re doing.\u201d – Thankfully, Massanka now does…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ntumba Massanka’s most heartbreaking moment in life came in football – so it’s all the sweeter that the business world has seemed like a piece of cake. Family is a core theme of his journey, from Manchester United, his home-away-from-home in Wrexham, and now his local community. 13 Massanka won the NPL Division One West […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":195087,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[62898,62897,713,42776,11187,1828,13691,110,44426,129,62896,1110,638,1815],"class_list":{"0":"post-195086","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-forgotten-man-utd-stars","9":"tag-former-man-utd-wonderkids","10":"tag-jeremie-frimpong","11":"tag-liverpool-fc","12":"tag-liverpool-news","13":"tag-man-united","14":"tag-man-utd","15":"tag-manchester-united","16":"tag-manchester-united-news","17":"tag-marcus-rashford","18":"tag-ntumba-massanka","19":"tag-scott-mctominay","20":"tag-transfer-news","21":"tag-transfers"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/195087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}