Denis Irwin

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All goals and assists, enjoy:

 

galwayfa

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Brilliant player, getting the yellow in the fa Cup semi final v arsenal was a joke, never phased, never bothered and one of our most consisted players, on our best 11 from our players of that era, he is in most of them. 650k well spent
 

Morpheus 7

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Better than Evra, starting to getting the recognition now. Best United full back in my lifetime. Most that watched United in the 90's wouldn't disagree, never dipped in form.
 

Irwin99

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Such a class player. I've been watching some old games in the period of post 99 and it's sad that we didn't get anyone of his calibre to replace him for such a long time. Silvestre, Heinze, O Shea, Phil Neville all did well/ok at different points but they weren't near his quality or dependability. Thank god we got it right with Evra eventually.
 

devilish

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The best fb United ever had in the past 30 years or so
 

choiboyx012

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I was too young to watch him play, but wow he was so efficient; free kicks, PKs, crossing w/both feet, great long-distance shot on him. How does he compare with other fullbacks in the modern era? like your Ashley Cole, Trent Arnold, Dani alves, Cafu?
 

SirSteve4

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I was too young to watch him play, but wow he was so efficient; free kicks, PKs, crossing w/both feet, great long-distance shot on him. How does he compare with other fullbacks in the modern era? like your Ashley Cole, Trent Arnold, Dani alves, Cafu?
Although Denis was very good going forward the closest comparison is probably Maldini. Just so dependable and allowed Giggs to do his thing on the left knowing Denis was there to cover. Just made everything look simple, a no fuss player. Hell of a free kick too - can’t be bothered to check but pretty sure he has a better conversion rate than Roberto Carlos.
 

Class of 63

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It's funny, if you'd known United were signing a player from that talented Oldham team in advance very few if any would have said I hope it's Denis Irwin, yet he turned out to be the one of the finest fullbacks(on either side) to have played in England in the last 50 years, I genuinely can't think of one better than him, not bad for a player given a free-transfer by some geezer called Billy Bremner when he was at Leeds.

He very rarely dropped below 7½ out of 10, and SAF once said of Denis you could set your clock by him he was so reliable.
 

hasanejaz88

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He was every but as good as Philipp Lahm. If Irwin was German then he'd be revered as one of their greats.
Love both players. Both have starkingly similar abilities not only technically but also mentally. Both incredibly professional and humble on the pitch to go with their talents.

My higher German bias will say Lahm but Irwin is definitely my favourite United full back, and the best full back in the Premier League.
 

Andycoleno9

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Good memories there from agurably the best ever full back I have seen playing for United.
Evra at his peak was close to him but yeah i agree in general. One of the world's best full backs in 90s. But outside PL and even United he was so underrated
 

DRM

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My mates and I were discussing this a few weeks back, Irwin or evra at left back. I said Irwin, not even a contest!
 

LoSpritz

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Brilliant, one of my all-time favourite players. And let’s not forget - No Irwin, no Cantona.
 

Sir Giggs

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Was that the game ince scored for pool and celebrated like a lunatic Infront of the kop?
That's right mate. Ince equalised at the death to grab them a point and leave us 3 points behind Arsenal. Tosser.

Irwin's sending off meant a suspension and missing the cup final.
 

youngrell

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Excellent player. Given his amazing consistency, what would people say was his peak or best season?
 

2cents

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Excellent player. Given his amazing consistency, what would people say was his peak or best season?
I always look back on 93/94 as a golden season when everyone from Fergie’s first great batch of signings peaked together. So I’d probably go for that although nothing specific about Irwin sticks out.
 

Eckers99

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Excellent player. Given his amazing consistency, what would people say was his peak or best season?
I don't think of him having a standout season, as I don't ever recall him having anything other than 7 or 8 out of 10 performances. Aside from being solid defensively, and very rarely (if ever) being given the runaround, he was such a good footballer. Great right foot, excellent from dead balls, good crosser, decent passer. He was a complete full back.
 

diarm

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I would kill to have him back for United and Ireland again. Incredible player - both in terms of ability in defence or attack, and in terms of consistency. He was one of the rocks that Fergie built two great teams on.
 

Eckers99

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I always look back on 93/94 as a golden season when everyone from Fergie’s first great batch of signings peaked together. So I’d probably go for that although nothing specific about Irwin sticks out.
Man, I loved that season so much. We felt invincible back then and, well, we pretty much were. Just a great fecking team and possibly my favourite to watch.
 

OnlyTwoDaSilvas

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Great player, though he only seems to be recognised as a great by United fans, he didn't get the wider recognition he deserves. Maybe because the 90s was awash with excellent, world class defenders. Evra was recognised as one of, if not the best left back in the world in his prime, but he didn't have the competition Irwin had.

His career is criminally underrated. One of the league's most decorated players and barely gets a mention.
 

buckooo1978

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simply brilliant fullback and best I've seen at United

in fact the best left back I've seen at United and the best right back I've seen too

superb defensively first and foremost but an excellent passer too - plenty of goals and assists
 

youngrell

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I always look back on 93/94 as a golden season when everyone from Fergie’s first great batch of signings peaked together. So I’d probably go for that although nothing specific about Irwin sticks out.
A good, a lot of those players are hard to pin down an absolute peak because they were so good and so consistent.
 

youngrell

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I don't think of him having a standout season, as I don't ever recall him having anything other than 7 or 8 out of 10 performances. Aside from being solid defensively, and very rarely (if ever) being given the runaround, he was such a good footballer. Great right foot, excellent from dead balls, good crosser, decent passer. He was a complete full back.
Yeah, that's what I was struggling with. He was just great. Always.

Even in legends/veteran matches he barely puts a foot wrong.
 

Eckers99

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Yeah, that's what I was struggling with. He was just great. Always.

Even in legends/veteran matches he barely puts a foot wrong.
I'll never forget his goal against Wimbledon in what was hyped as being a major challenge for us. We totally bossed them, culminating in an Irwin solo goal - at the end of a lovely move - that most wingers would've been calling a career highlight. In fact, here it is (soz about the quality).

 

devilish

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Yes was gonna say the same. Could play either side, Great FK taker. brilliant WB really.
His consistency was inhuman. It was like having a terminator out there.
 

Dave Smith

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Great player, though he only seems to be recognised as a great by United fans, he didn't get the wider recognition he deserves. Maybe because the 90s was awash with excellent, world class defenders. Evra was recognised as one of, if not the best left back in the world in his prime, but he didn't have the competition Irwin had.

His career is criminally underrated. One of the league's most decorated players and barely gets a mention.
I am not so sure that is true. I have a few friends who are Chelsea fans that all say that he was one of the best FB's ever in the league. One of them even has him in his all time great XI. That said, I find Chelsea fans on an individual basis to probably be the most reasonable/knowledgeable of the other big six sides so it may be to do with that.
 
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I was too young to watch him play, but wow he was so efficient; free kicks, PKs, crossing w/both feet, great long-distance shot on him. How does he compare with other fullbacks in the modern era? like your Ashley Cole, Trent Arnold, Dani alves, Cafu?
Trent Arnold isn't remotely in the same conversation as the others mentioned. In terms of FBs to come from the UK/Ireland's, I'd say Cole was as good defensively (the Cashley Cole thing overshadows how good a defender he was) but Irwin was miles better offensively.
He was every but as good as Philipp Lahm. If Irwin was German then he'd be revered as one of their greats.
That's a good comparison in terms of ability, temperament, consistency, adaptability, loyality, team first mentality.
Man, I loved that season so much. We felt invincible back then and, well, we pretty much were. Just a great fecking team and possibly my favourite to watch.
I made a thread a couple of years back asking for thoughts on 93/94 v 98/99. If I coldly look back at the players, yes I'd pick 98/99 BUT I absolutely loved the 93/94 team (up there with mid 80s, late 70s) ... there's just something about some teams that grabs you.

The pace of that team was phenomenal... Giggs, Kanchelskis, Cantona, Ince (see the Norwich game as a perfect example?) If they played 10 times, 99 would win more but 94 would beat them at least once and make them work for everything.

Oh, and Irwin was in both. And excellent in both... not only the best FB I've seen, but the best £ for £ buy (maybe level with Cantona due to his catalyst value).