An affiliation with English powerhouse Manchester United has its share of perks, and the Dallas Texans club is learning as much with each encounter.

In the second gathering with Man U since forming a partnership late last year, the Texans took their first trip abroad, embarking on a nine-day excursion that included five players and four Texans coaches.

It was the latest event in an effort by the Texans to improve their development long-term and tap into the source of arguably the premier club in the world.

It was also a once-in-a-lifetime amazing trip.

“It was eye-opening,” said Club Director Hassan Nazari. “The boys were very excited and it made a big impression on them. As coaches we picked up a lot of things and ideas that we will soon be implementing. The trip was very educational, and with our partnership we’re going to be doing more. Man U is very committed to excellence all over the globe.”

Back in June, coaches like the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson made their way from the English club and came to Dallas and put on a clinic of sorts, but this was something completely different. Traveling to England, taking in Wembley Stadium along with the Man U practice facility was a site to behold for the coaches and players alike.

The lucky footballers who made the trip for the Texans included Ivan Alvaredo, Jared Wright, Ethan Meyer, Caleb Richardson and Kevin Wright. 

The Texans spent the bulk of their time with the Man U Academy players, training with them at the facility as the fellow coaches held conferences and exchanged information. While the first team wasn’t there for the young players to gawk at, the trip did conclude with the team watching the 2010 World Cup qualifier between England and Croatia.

“The professionalism of the coaches there and the staff and everything they do is great,” Nazari said. "The biggest thing for our players was the pace of play. It was a little overwhelming for some of them; the players there day in and day out are exposed to that kind of training. What we learned and believe is that practice doesn’t make perfect - perfect practice makes perfect.”

Nazari said the team may be planning another trip to England during the summer that will feature 16 players. Talks have also began about possibly getting a Man U coach over to the States for parts of the year in order to instill the knowledge of the club on a more consistent basis.