Always seen Eric mirroring what Law did after the aircrash. They bith just boosted the team from being in a rut for different reasons and almost single handedly picked the team up by the boot laces and made them winners.
25 Greatest Manchester United players
- Thread starter Davìd Moyéz
- Start date
I'd say that in my lifetime, Cantona is number one. Others subsequently won more stuff, but he was, IMO, the biggest catalyst re turning United from an also ran team (which they'd been for two decades) into serial winners. Also, just the way he was, the skill, the daring, the charisma, the arrogance - you couldn't help but love him.
I remember when he came back from the karate kick ban, and United seemingly won every single game in the run in '1-0 (Cantona),' as the team snatched the title. Then that was topped off by him scoring the winner in the FA Cup final against the Liverpool Spice Boys, back when the FA Cup actually meant something, and back when the league still feared and respected Liverpool as a club to a degree that is hard to get younger people to understand now.
Good times.....
25 Cantona's?
Yep. Two players that the Stretford End singularly adored. The leadership, dazzling displays…. When Eric returned vs Liverpool and wrapped himself around the goalpost stanchion celebrating after his penalty. Nearly always Collyer, sent the keeper the wrong way. Which was the goal he celebrated at the Stret when he swung his arm and body to one side and fell over? That was funny and weirdly, just added to his charisma.
Both he and Denis had that charisma that elevated them even beyond their abundant prowess.
I remember this so well
Was thinking the same exact thing
Some from the 70s sides also stand out.
Buchan
Coppell
McIlroy
Greenhoff (J)
Macari
Hill
Stepney (although he had been there since 1967).
They never won a league title (might have had Docherty stayed and been given the players he wanted), but those two FA Cup runs in 76 and 77 really had the red half of Manchester buzzing.
The Lawman was something else. Watching him when I was a kid in the 1965 season was fantastic. He moved like quicksilver in the penalty area, finding a half-chance and scoring when surrounded by defenders, and he could jump so high to get a header in against much bigger players. He was the King and rightly so.
63/64 was even better. Google has him at 7x hat tricks that season but they missed my fave one vs Bristol Rovers in the cup. Should’ve been 6 goals that day but got flagged (incorrect of course) offside numerous times. He had a good natured running battle with the lino which brought ripples of laughter from the crowd. Remember it clearly because we took my cousin for his first game. It was also the season he got the EFOTY. Memorable one vs Spurs too, when they had a decent side. Think they beat us 5-1 at whl and then we beat them 5-1 next season at OT. Magical childhood days.
I would prefer 25 Roy Keane
I think Keane would be more highly regarded (I mean he is highly regarded, of course, but he'd be even more highly regarded) if it hadn't ended like it did with the Fergie rift and his continued crapping on the club in his punditry.
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That is a very fair point
I haven't heard him " crapping on the club".
Examples?
Im amazed that people seem to have forgotten Roger Byrne, the captain of the Babes, and Tony Dunne from Sir Matts 60s team. Both were superb attacking fullbacks, fast and direct and strong in the tackle and I would put them on a par with Evra, the best United fullback Ive seen since Dunne.
I have never heard Keane "crap" on United. Hes been outspoken against the owners, but who hasnt, and criticized the style of play under SAFs successors and of course hes been critical of SAF himself, but Keane has a lot of affection for Manchester United and has been very disappointed, bitter even, with whats happened since SAF retired....but havent we all?
Which means Giggs is probably No.2
There's no way as good as he was I'd have Giggs ahead of Best and probably one or two others
I always struggle with balancing impact/peak with longevity on these things
I think some people are underestimating the overall skill and greatness of Ryan Giggs. Even when he was playing he didn´t get enough credit, because people had this image in their head that he was a flying winger who should always run at opponents. Giggs was much more than that. Amazing in central midfield with brilliant passing and running and very rarely lost any 50/50 balls because of his cleverness. 163 goals and 273 assists for United (playing huge amount of games in central midfield). Most trophys won in English football and being key player in most of them. Absolute legend!
Top assists in premier league history:
Top assists in premier league history:
- 1. Ryan Giggs – 162 assists (+4 in first division)
- 2. Kevin De Bruyne – 119 assists
- 3. Cesc Fàbregas – 111 assists
- 4. Wayne Rooney – 103 assists
- 5. Frank Lampard – 102 assists
Imo, most fans agreed with Keane in 2005.
His media persona is basically scripted by Sky I reckon.
Giggs obviously has better longevity than almost anyone ever and never really had a period where he wasn't a very useful player.
That being said I don't think his peak comes close to many below him on this list. Only scored 10+ league goals twice in his 24 seasons. Was he ever our best player at any stage? Possibly early 90s? Also a certified scumbag.
That being said I don't think his peak comes close to many below him on this list. Only scored 10+ league goals twice in his 24 seasons. Was he ever our best player at any stage? Possibly early 90s? Also a certified scumbag.
Seen a few commentators say that for a period of two to three years, best wasnt only the greatest player in our history, but one of the greatest of all time with regards every single footballer dead or alive.
I had a relative that won an all ireland with limerick that was destroyed by alcoholism because of it. the success killed him.
I had a relative that won an all ireland with limerick that was destroyed by alcoholism because of it. the success killed him.
Agree
No way Ole should be in ahead of Andy Cole.
Love Ole but how many seasons in his Utd career was he in our top 2 strikers? 2? 96/97 and 01/02?
Charlton
Best
Giggs
Law
Rooney
Keane
Robson
Scholes
Ronaldo
Cantona
Love Ole but how many seasons in his Utd career was he in our top 2 strikers? 2? 96/97 and 01/02?
Charlton
Best
Giggs
Law
Rooney
Keane
Robson
Scholes
Ronaldo
Cantona
Very hard to argue against this list...
United have fielded some of the greatest, most talented, most awesome players to ever kick a football, but one stands out above all others, and by all others I include Pele, Di Stefano, Maradona, Messi and both Ronaldos...and he is George Best. When Pele was at his peak he told reporters that George was the best player on the planet, not him! Alfredo Di Stefano was idolised by Denis Law but when asked to choose between them, some years after both he and George had retired, he opted for Best. On pitches which on most days were no better than mud baths or ploughed fields, Besty showed incredible pace and balance that even on the pitches of today very few players could match. Two footed, brave beyond belief, tough, a great header of the ball, a great tackler with a great shot in either foot, possessing superb vision and awareness, George Best was the most complete footballer ever, at his peak he was untouchable and his peak lasted longer than many people seem to think. I never saw Di Stefano play but Ive been fortunate enough to see Pele, Maradona and both Ronaldos play although nowhere near as often as I saw George and I cant believe any of us who watched George at Old Trafford will ever, ever forget his brilliance!
You must have some fantastic memories. What's the best game you can remember seeing him play in the flesh?
In the early champions league years he seemed like the most dangerous of our players in the CL games
If I had to pick a single game it would be vs Newcastle in 1968 when Besty scored a Hat Trick, his first at Old Trafford I believe. United were still in the hunt for the Ist Division title but a strange defeat at Old Trafford against Sunderland in our final game ended that and we finished 2 points behind City.
Although I have no doubts that George Best was the best player ever, anywhere, my favourite player was Denis Law, The King, who was simply so exciting to watch because he was always likely to do something special. Besty was sheer brilliance, but Denis was magical!
Good stuff, thanks
I cannot judge players I haven't watched live, but from the ones I have, top 3 would be:
1. Eric the King Cantona
2. Roy Keane
3. Wayne Rooney
Scholes very close 4th.
Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly great but in top 3 I would rather mention players who were not even bigger legends for another club (Real Madrid)
1. Eric the King Cantona
2. Roy Keane
3. Wayne Rooney
Scholes very close 4th.
Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly great but in top 3 I would rather mention players who were not even bigger legends for another club (Real Madrid)
Giggs is number 2. Could have won it.
I vaguely remember he won a fan poll in early 2000's as the greatest United player of all time (maybe in Manchester United magazine?) and he had only played about half of his career at that point!
I vaguely remember he won a fan poll in early 2000's as the greatest United player of all time (maybe in Manchester United magazine?) and he had only played about half of his career at that point!
Rio had some difficulties at Utd with his first four few seasons seeing much criticism for concentration lapses and hesitant and stand offish style at times with the arrival of Vidic to compliment him bringing about his best years at Utd although there were still some dodgy performances such as against Celtic in 06/07 with concentration lapses still occurring at times like against Roma in the Champions League in 2008 where he let a Roma player nab the ball off him in the opening minutes.
Used to be one of my favourite players but not anymore......
I think Giggs is quite possibly the most "taken for granted" United player in our history (well certainly my history anyway)
I don''t quite fully know what that means myself, but it makes sense in my head.
I don''t quite fully know what that means myself, but it makes sense in my head.
No Allenby Chilton?
From the modern era(1980's) on this is 100% true. A few factors, his off the field issues, his longevity in some way working against him for the younger generations, their memory mainly of 37/38 year old Giggs and not the electric phenom, most exciting player in football that he was in his youth. Also how the role of the winger has vanished, people look at his goal record and see it as poor, but it is not a like for like comparison with today’s wide forwards, was a different role, with much more creative and defensive responsibility instead of a goal focus.
Always found it fascinating how say around 2010 before his controversies broke that Giggs would have been pretty universally considered to have had a better career and been a better player than Scholes, it wasn't even that close, but that completely changed very quickly. Not just the off the field stuff there, how Barca adjacent Scholes style of play was led to a bit of a realignment of how he was evaluated, but the problem with that the deep lying playmaker Scholes era was a pretty small part of his career in reality, 06-10 really.
Scored or assisted every other game for 23 year career, important goals too, they meant winning leagues and cups. Best tribute I can give Giggs is that whenever you watch other players career highlights he seems to be nearly involved some way or ther in half the goals(pre assists as well). Sensational talent and no coincidence that our most successful period spanned his whole career, we haven't won a league without him in nearly 60years.
Aside from his horrific off the field stuff, I think the issue with him is that he was amazing when he was really young (for such a young player) and amazing when when was really old (for such an old player), but there was a whole bit in the middle when he was good (sometimes great), but not the world beater he promised to be as a youth.
He was getting regular George Best comparisons as a teenager. He never became George Best, but he was much more professional than Best (after some early issues when he was running around town with Lee Sharpe) and therefore lasted much longer at the top.
These lists that come around are bull shit. Mitten is 51 he never watched the busby babes. Unless it’s someone like Kidd Stepney Aston Crerand or Wilf McGuinness giving there’s you’d listen more that have seen the majority of players who played for us.
However the Mount Rushmore of United I think is slightly easier
It’s sir Matt sir Alex sir Bobby and james Gibson - first three are facts. 4th up for discussion but Gibson saved us after the war
However the Mount Rushmore of United I think is slightly easier
It’s sir Matt sir Alex sir Bobby and james Gibson - first three are facts. 4th up for discussion but Gibson saved us after the war
I think when you combine his youth and his swan song with the fact that he was pretty much first choice for twenty years during our most successful ever period, survived 4 or 5 rebuilds and won more honours with the club than anyone, then him being second behind only Charlton feels right. Ferguson rated him enough to never replace him.
Every so often I see a complication of his best goals and he really could do everything. Great player.
Just seeing this list now.
Delighted mitten had the lads ahead of Ronaldo, particularly Scholes (who was superb) although I’d personally have Cantona higher. It really is as simple that United wouldn’t have had the success we had from 93 without him. He joined mid season 1992-93 and united werr looking like we’d finish mid table not win it! Ferguson might not of survived if Cantona didn’t join, he was that important to the clubs history.
Like Keane , cantona inspired players around him and it’s no coincidence that United won 2 leagues in a row , lost the one cantona was banned and got back to winning it when he returned. Players like Cantona and Keane take all the pressure off their team mates.
Another thing Cantona did was inspire and encourage the class of 90 (and his team mates) to practise even after training.
These sort of lists are always difficult to rate, particularly over decades, nice thinking back on the greats.
Delighted mitten had the lads ahead of Ronaldo, particularly Scholes (who was superb) although I’d personally have Cantona higher. It really is as simple that United wouldn’t have had the success we had from 93 without him. He joined mid season 1992-93 and united werr looking like we’d finish mid table not win it! Ferguson might not of survived if Cantona didn’t join, he was that important to the clubs history.
Like Keane , cantona inspired players around him and it’s no coincidence that United won 2 leagues in a row , lost the one cantona was banned and got back to winning it when he returned. Players like Cantona and Keane take all the pressure off their team mates.
Another thing Cantona did was inspire and encourage the class of 90 (and his team mates) to practise even after training.
These sort of lists are always difficult to rate, particularly over decades, nice thinking back on the greats.