It was one of the most auspicious nights in Manchester United's football history.
Hosting Turkish opposition at Old Trafford in a dead rubber of a UEFA Champions League group game, Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to blood the club's up-and-coming talent was spectacularly vindicated with a display of devastating and sustained brilliance that resulted in a 4-0 win.
Unfortunately for United fans, it is now 15 years since David Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and others burst on to the scene with victory over Galatasaray back in 1994.
Extended the same opportunity to impress against Besiktas last night, United's class of 2009 fluffed their lines badly in losing 1-0.
It is of course slightly unfair to compare the likes of Darron Gibson, Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda and Gabriel Obertan with one of the greatest crops of youngsters in football history, but then Besiktas are hardly the force that Galatasaray were 15 years ago either.
The Turks lost 8-0 to Liverpool on their last visit to England and had just one point to their name from four European games going into last night's match.
In contrast, Galatasaray had warmed up for their mauling at the hands of United 15 years ago with a 2-1 victory over the Barcelona of Koeman, Romario and Stoichkov just a fortnight beforehand.
Of course, last night's result was pretty much meaningless. United's place in the last 16 is already assured and, with the likes of Barcelona, Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid and AC Milan all still scrambling to ensure qualification, it may make little difference whether United finish top of their group, as still seems likely, or second.
The fact that United have lost their four-and-a-half year unbeaten home record in European football may have made the headlines today, but it is also of little real consequence.
But last night's match underlined too things about Manchester United's youth set-up.
First of all, that their youth operation today is rather different from 15 years ago. David Beckham, as a Londoner, seemed faintly exotic back then while United's young stars of today are drawn from Brazil, Italy and beyond.
Secondly, and perhaps more worryingly, the Spy was reminded that it is now a long time since a Manchester United youth product came up through the ranks and established himself as a bona fide first choice.
John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher and, most recently, Jonny Evans may all be in the first team picture but none are automatic picks the way that Beckham, Neville or Paul Scholes were.
So while Sir Alex Ferguson's willingness to give youth a chance remains laudable, it is clear that the options at his disposal have become worryingly threadbare.
Is Jose really committed to Inter?
Barcelona's comprehensive dismissal of Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan on Tuesday night will inevitably lead to more speculation over the former Chelsea boss's future.
Mourinho insists he is in for the long haul with the Nerazzurri, citing his recent supervision of a redesign of their training facilities, but he continues to be strongly linked with a move back to the Premier League.
Inter Milan can be classed as a sleeping giant of world football, and they will remain so while Italian clubs lag behind British and Spanish counterparts on the European stage.
They don't seem to have the resources - either in financial terms or in producing homegrown quality players - to make any sort of mark in the UEFA Champions League.
The Spy can't escape that feeling that if and when the right job appears back in Britain, Jose will jump at it.
