Former Wanderers defender Nicky Hunt has recalled his famous battle with Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo back in August 2003.

The defender – who made over 150 appearances for the Whites – came up against the Portuguese star in a 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

It was Ronaldo’s first appearance in English football after making the move from Sporting Lisbon at the age of 18.

18 years on, the former Real Madrid and Juventus man is back in the Premier League with the Manchester club.

Hunt – who is now playing for non-league side Ashton United – admits there was nothing his team-mates could do to stop Ronaldo.

“There’s no preparation for what he did that day,” he told Sky Sports. “He came on for 20 minutes and turned the game around.

“We were 1-0 down and by the time the full time whistle had blown it was 4-0.

“Phil Brown and Sam Allardyce were just saying ‘hit him’ every time he got the ball. That’s literally what I did.

“The first two tackles I smashed him and then he switched over to the other wing and caused absolute havoc on the left as well.

“I’m not sure we all thought in the changing rooms that he was going to be the best in the world, but there were certainly glimpses that day.

“We sat in the changing rooms after the game and just thought to ourselves, we’ve got a real player on our hands here.”