Ryan Giggs has revealed he shed a few private tears following his final game for Manchester United at Southampton last month.
Giggs brought down his remarkable 23-year career as a United first team star as he accepted a role as assistant to incoming manager Louis van Gaal, yet it was the emotion that overcame him following his final United game that offered the most compelling comments in an documentary that Welshman has made for ITV Sport entitled Life of Ryan: Caretaker Manager.
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"We got off the plane at Manchester Airport and I was saying goodbye to the players, thanking them and potentially saying goodbye to a lot of players for the last time," stated Giggs.
"I'm not an emotional man -- well, I didn't think I was -- but my car was parked right outside and I thought 'I need to get in my car here'. I could feel myself getting emotional.
"So I get in my car and I just started crying, started getting really emotional and I think it was just a mixture of what I've just said, saying goodbye to people for maybe the last time and the pressure that I put myself under.
"I come out the airport at the lights and Nicky Butt ([Giggs' former United team-mate and one his temporary assistants) just pulled up next to me and I'm thinking 'I can't let Butty know that I've just been crying' so I just give him a little wave and looked the other way and waited for the lights to go green.
"It sounds stupid now but it's just not me, it's just not me at all. Driving home from the airport was a release, it was a sort of strange feeling knowing that I didn't have to come in tomorrow and that it's a new beginning and it's exciting.
"For the first time in my career it's going into what is going to be a different season, a different summer."
Giggs insisted he did not regret his decision to play a final year for United, even though it turned out to be the club's most unsuccessful campaign during his lengthy spell at Old Trafford.
"If I'd have retired last year I'd have gone out on a high: it was the 20th title and everything would have been rosy, but life isn't like that," he stated.
"I took the manager's job without hesitation because who turns the chance of managing Manchester United down? For 20 years Sir Alex used to say 'wait until all you lot are managers and you'll find out how hard it is to pick a team, to leave good players out', and I was just sat there going 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever'.
"It's like having your first baby, you can prep as much as you can but until it comes down to actually living it day in, day out, you can never prepare for it.
Giggs also spoke publicly for the first time about the prospect of working with Louis Van Gaal at United next season.
"I met Louis and the meeting went really well, I liked him instantly and I'm looking forward to working with him and learning from him," added Giggs.
"It's been a whirlwind few weeks and I wouldn't change it for the world. It was just a brilliant experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will be all the better for next time it happens."