fully agreed
FourFourTwo’s 50 greatest United players of all-time.
- Thread starter Fortitude
- Start date
We've won three European Cups in our entire history as a club.
The best players in those 3 teams are always going to rank highly.
I think because he and Vieira for Arsenal set the standard for so long about what an elite premiership midfielder should be. I've seen interviews with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard, Gary Speed (RIP) and they always talk about him and Vieria as the top midfielders of that era. It's probably worth noting that Keane's influence was such that he was practically undroppable for a decade or so whereas you were never really ever taken aback if Giggs or Scholes were on the bench.
Keane was also voted our best player by the fans in our greatest ever season.
Yeah, I saw. I’m assuming he/she was dropped on his/her head at some point…. Robson was half force of nature/half god.
But seriously, both great players and any team would be lucky to have either in it.
(but Robson was better)
The most underrated player we've ever had. He just keeps getting forgotten about. There were plenty of times he kept Scholes out of big matches in the late 90s. Butt was brilliant in the 2002/2003 season alongside Keane.
That’s a shout. At his best, he was amazing…
… doesn’t have the longevity (or goals or CLs) others have, but definitely matches a lot of 31-50 in ability over 92-95 period.
Did they include any player from the pre-war period?
Keane was the most important player of that late 90's-early 00's side, just like Cantona was for the previous generation. More so than Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Stam, Schmeichel or ever-changing strikers. It can be argued that Giggs & Scholes should be ahead of him due to their longevity but not Schmeichel and probably not Ferdinand.
He wouldn't stand out as much if Robson wouldn't have been put 4th — not that Keane was better (I still can't make up my mind on whom I adore more out of the two), but he was certainly in the same tier. Robson was less lucky with the generation he was playing in but individually they're a match.
I only saw you already contributed to the thread after I tagged you
You're everywhere, Robson!Well for me - you have to prioritise European Cup Winners, then after that generational players such as Edwards, Buchan, Robson & Cantona, i.e. those that didn't win the top prize with us, but who's legacy remains most important to our club.
Ive spent last 40 minutes trying to compile a list, and gave up. There are too many things to consider to prioritise, plus I dont think I could give an accurate reflection of the places for the Busby Babes, comparing them to more recent players.
Have to say Roy Keane for me, is one of THE most inspirational players, certainly in the last 40 years, I have seen, so if he is outside to top 5, then this is just nonsense.
Charlton still number 1 for me.
Ive spent last 40 minutes trying to compile a list, and gave up. There are too many things to consider to prioritise, plus I dont think I could give an accurate reflection of the places for the Busby Babes, comparing them to more recent players.
Have to say Roy Keane for me, is one of THE most inspirational players, certainly in the last 40 years, I have seen, so if he is outside to top 5, then this is just nonsense.
Charlton still number 1 for me.
Hey guys, I went full nerd and came up with a good system that can be used for ranking players.
You basically make 5 equally long lists. The number of players on each list can be anywhere from 5 to 50, depending on how crazy you are. For my example I will use just 5. After making all the lists, simply count the points. 1st place gives the player 5 points, 5th place 1 point etc.
List 1: The Bias
Without thinking too much about it, just make your own personal top 5 list. Allow your biases to take full control. Not everything can or should be over-analyzed, even though that's just what we're gonna do below.
List 2: Peak Level and Star Factor
Make a top 5 list of the United players with the highest peak and star factor. This should be relatively simple seeing as we have 4 Ballon d'Or winners in Charlton, Law, Best and Ronaldo. The issue is ranking them and deciding on the 5th player(it's Keane, by the way).
List 3: Big Trophy Count
Very simple: just count the number of big trophies a player has won. English top division and Champions League/European Cup only! It's a daunting task, but there should be no doubt that Giggs and Scholes are the top 2.
List 4: Longevity and Consistency
Both of these are important, but not important enough to warrant separate lists. To make this list, the player in question must have been a fairly regular starter for minimum 8 seasons. He should also be very consistent, obviously. Irwin, Giggs, Robson and Scholes are immediate candidates here.
List 5: The Difference Makers
Not every player wins the Ballon d'Or, play for a million years or even win that many big trophies. That doesn't mean that they weren't hugely important to the team. Players like Robson and Cantona are great examples of this. It's important to remember that it's OK to make this list while also making the other lists. In fact, I expect a lot of overlap. Keane will therefore also make this top 5, easily.
You basically make 5 equally long lists. The number of players on each list can be anywhere from 5 to 50, depending on how crazy you are. For my example I will use just 5. After making all the lists, simply count the points. 1st place gives the player 5 points, 5th place 1 point etc.
List 1: The Bias
Without thinking too much about it, just make your own personal top 5 list. Allow your biases to take full control. Not everything can or should be over-analyzed, even though that's just what we're gonna do below.
List 2: Peak Level and Star Factor
Make a top 5 list of the United players with the highest peak and star factor. This should be relatively simple seeing as we have 4 Ballon d'Or winners in Charlton, Law, Best and Ronaldo. The issue is ranking them and deciding on the 5th player(it's Keane, by the way).
List 3: Big Trophy Count
Very simple: just count the number of big trophies a player has won. English top division and Champions League/European Cup only! It's a daunting task, but there should be no doubt that Giggs and Scholes are the top 2.
List 4: Longevity and Consistency
Both of these are important, but not important enough to warrant separate lists. To make this list, the player in question must have been a fairly regular starter for minimum 8 seasons. He should also be very consistent, obviously. Irwin, Giggs, Robson and Scholes are immediate candidates here.
List 5: The Difference Makers
Not every player wins the Ballon d'Or, play for a million years or even win that many big trophies. That doesn't mean that they weren't hugely important to the team. Players like Robson and Cantona are great examples of this. It's important to remember that it's OK to make this list while also making the other lists. In fact, I expect a lot of overlap. Keane will therefore also make this top 5, easily.
Johnny Carey (30's-50's), after him it's the Babes, I believe. I'm surprised that Billy Meredith didn't make the top-50, for me he is the most well-known Man Utd player of the first half of the century (although with no footage we can only guess how good he really was).
It kind of does. Otherwise Van Persie would have a shout at top ten. You can’t just ignore the fact he played at a high standard for a remarkably long time.
Giggs I can get but don’t agree with, Charlton Best Law Keane Robson Giggs Cantona. Cole and VDS should be higher up
Edit: Giggs I get because of the appearances and honours won but wouldnt be my choice as the greatest
Edit: Giggs I get because of the appearances and honours won but wouldnt be my choice as the greatest
He was a part of a great era. No doubt he's an icon and legend, but then in terms of best of all time, I'd have Cantona and Keane ahead of him (within his era) and LCB ahead of him all time.
My top 6 would look something like
1. B. Charlton
2. E. Cantona
3. G. Best
4. R. Keane
5. B. Robson
6. D. Law
Giggs was a phenomenon back in the days. He literally outran the whole league with his speed, great crosses and intelligent passing. He out-assisted everyone in the league. He changed united.
Whenever you saw Giggs in the line up, you know united will win. The same effect can also be felt when you see Ronaldo, Rooney or Scholes in the line up.
Whenever you saw Giggs in the line up, you know united will win. The same effect can also be felt when you see Ronaldo, Rooney or Scholes in the line up.
Bobby Charlton has to be number 1, given his role post Munich, and the type of man he was, is, and continues to be. And on top of all that, he was an outstanding leader, and an outstanding footballer.
1. Giggs, Scholes, Best, Keane, Charlton
2. Charlton, Best, Law, Ronaldo and between Keane/Rooney
3. Giggs, Scholes ???
4. Giggs, Scholes, same as above?
5. Cantona, Robson, Best, Charlton, Ronaldo + but also fecking Giggs deserves it
This is bullshit, where's Fletcher?
Giggs position is all about longevity, which I guess if you’re going for greatest is going to score heavily. I’d have Charlton, Robson, Cantona and Keane ahead of him though.
Solskjaer is placed way too low, and this is coming from someone who absolutely loathed his time with us as manager. Schmeichel too high, Cole too low and Keane should be in the the top ten list. The rest just about right.
What this list has taught me is some of the best players only spent 5-6 years here.
We have players, we were not ever good enough, spending 6+ years here.
Very interesting list.
We have players, we were not ever good enough, spending 6+ years here.
Very interesting list.
So I tested my own nerd system...
Personal Bias
1. Best
2. Scholes
3. Keane
4. Cantona
5. Ronaldo
Peak Level
1. Best
2. Ronaldo
3. Charlton
4. Law
5. Cantona
Longevity and Consistency:
1. Charlton
2. Irwin
3. Giggs
4. Scholes
5. Robson
Big Trophies
1. Giggs (15)
2. Scholes (13)
3. G.Neville (10)
4. Keane and Irwin(8)
Difference Makers
1. Cantona
2. Robson
3. Keane
4. Charlton
5. Best
Conclusion:
1. Best (11 points)
2. Charlton, Scholes and Keane (10 points)
3. Giggs and Cantona (8 points)
I'm pretty happy with this!
Now just remove these players and start over to decide the next 5 players. And keep going until you have a top 50
Without testing it out, I'm pretty sure the next 5 would be(in no particular order): Law, Robson, Irwin, Schmeichel, Ronaldo.
You basically make 5 equally long lists. The number of players on each list can be anywhere from 5 to 50, depending on how crazy you are. For my example I will use just 5. After making all the lists, simply count the points. 1st place gives the player 5 points, 5th place 1 point etc.
List 1: The Bias
Without thinking too much about it, just make your own personal top 5 list. Allow your biases to take full control. Not everything can or should be over-analyzed, even though that's just what we're gonna do below.
List 2: Peak Level and Star Factor
Make a top 5 list of the United players with the highest peak and star factor. This should be relatively simple seeing as we have 4 Ballon d'Or winners in Charlton, Law, Best and Ronaldo. The issue is ranking them and deciding on the 5th player(it's Keane, by the way).
List 3: Big Trophy Count
Very simple: just count the number of big trophies a player has won. English top division and Champions League/European Cup only! It's a daunting task, but there should be no doubt that Giggs and Scholes are the top 2.
List 4: Longevity and Consistency
Both of these are important, but not important enough to warrant separate lists. To make this list, the player in question must have been a fairly regular starter for minimum 8 seasons. He should also be very consistent, obviously. Irwin, Giggs, Robson and Scholes are immediate candidates here.
List 5: The Difference Makers
Not every player wins the Ballon d'Or, play for a million years or even win that many big trophies. That doesn't mean that they weren't hugely important to the team. Players like Robson and Cantona are great examples of this. It's important to remember that it's OK to make this list while also making the other lists. In fact, I expect a lot of overlap. Keane will therefore also make this top 5, easily.
List 1: The Bias
Without thinking too much about it, just make your own personal top 5 list. Allow your biases to take full control. Not everything can or should be over-analyzed, even though that's just what we're gonna do below.
List 2: Peak Level and Star Factor
Make a top 5 list of the United players with the highest peak and star factor. This should be relatively simple seeing as we have 4 Ballon d'Or winners in Charlton, Law, Best and Ronaldo. The issue is ranking them and deciding on the 5th player(it's Keane, by the way).
List 3: Big Trophy Count
Very simple: just count the number of big trophies a player has won. English top division and Champions League/European Cup only! It's a daunting task, but there should be no doubt that Giggs and Scholes are the top 2.
List 4: Longevity and Consistency
Both of these are important, but not important enough to warrant separate lists. To make this list, the player in question must have been a fairly regular starter for minimum 8 seasons. He should also be very consistent, obviously. Irwin, Giggs, Robson and Scholes are immediate candidates here.
List 5: The Difference Makers
Not every player wins the Ballon d'Or, play for a million years or even win that many big trophies. That doesn't mean that they weren't hugely important to the team. Players like Robson and Cantona are great examples of this. It's important to remember that it's OK to make this list while also making the other lists. In fact, I expect a lot of overlap. Keane will therefore also make this top 5, easily.
Personal Bias
1. Best
2. Scholes
3. Keane
4. Cantona
5. Ronaldo
Peak Level
1. Best
2. Ronaldo
3. Charlton
4. Law
5. Cantona
Longevity and Consistency:
1. Charlton
2. Irwin
3. Giggs
4. Scholes
5. Robson
Big Trophies
1. Giggs (15)
2. Scholes (13)
3. G.Neville (10)
4. Keane and Irwin(8)
Difference Makers
1. Cantona
2. Robson
3. Keane
4. Charlton
5. Best
Conclusion:
1. Best (11 points)
2. Charlton, Scholes and Keane (10 points)
3. Giggs and Cantona (8 points)
I'm pretty happy with this!
Now just remove these players and start over to decide the next 5 players. And keep going until you have a top 50
Without testing it out, I'm pretty sure the next 5 would be(in no particular order): Law, Robson, Irwin, Schmeichel, Ronaldo.
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Giggs is at worst second for me, but Charlton coming back from Munich to have the career he did has to be recognised.
It's interesting how they do these lists.
As if it's on sheer ability, then surely the 4 Ballon D'or winners we've had should be at the top,.
If it's on contribution to the cause, then obviously the Giggs and class of 92 main guys get high up.
If it's on sheer influence, Cantona and Keane figure highly.
A great selection of players and I totally agree with the inclusions of players from the past all too often passed over in selections like this, like Liam Whelan, Dennis Violett, Tony Dunne, Johnny Carey, Pat Crerand, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor. Picking out one player as THE GREATEST is hard, but taking into account the time he was at United as a player, his medals, including the World Cup and Balon D'or in 66, his goal tally and the way he played, my #1 would be Sir Bobby.1. Giggs
2. Charlton
3. Best
4. Robson
5. Cantona
6. Law
7. Edwards
8. Schmeichel
9. Rooney
10. Scholes
11. Ferdinand
12. Ronaldo
13. Keane ()
14. Beckham
15. G. Neville
16. Byrne
17. Taylor
18. Irwin
19. Foulkes
20. Van Nistlerooy
21. Stiles
22. De Gea
23. Violett
24. Vidic
25. M. Hughes
26. Buchan
27. Bruce
28. Evra
29. Whiteside
30. Pallister
31. Van der Sar
32. Solskjaer
33. McClair
34. McGrath
35. Coppell
36. Crerand
37. Carrick
38. ‘Billy’ Whelan
39. McIlroy
40. Ince
41. Albiston
42. Cole
43. Yorke
44. Kidd
45. Dunne
46. Stam
47. Carey
48. Pearson
49. Gregg
50. Sheringham
Link and their reasoning
Keane’s position is an absolute joke; others are questionable, too, but what do you think?
Can you be arsed doing a list of 50 or even re-jigging this one?
Instinctively, Schmeichel and Neville seem too high to me, Vidic, Rooney, Ronaldo and Keane maybe too low. And it seems somehow fundamentally wrong that Best isn't at the top. But it depends on the exact criteria, like how you prioritise length of contribution versus top level shown.1. Giggs
2. Charlton
3. Best
4. Robson
5. Cantona
6. Law
7. Edwards
8. Schmeichel
9. Rooney
10. Scholes
11. Ferdinand
12. Ronaldo
13. Keane (
14. Beckham
15. G. Neville
16. Byrne
17. Taylor
18. Irwin
19. Foulkes
20. Van Nistlerooy
21. Stiles
22. De Gea
23. Violett
24. Vidic
25. M. Hughes
26. Buchan
27. Bruce
28. Evra
29. Whiteside
30. Pallister
31. Van der Sar
32. Solskjaer
33. McClair
34. McGrath
35. Coppell
36. Crerand
37. Carrick
38. ‘Billy’ Whelan
39. McIlroy
40. Ince
41. Albiston
42. Cole
43. Yorke
44. Kidd
45. Dunne
46. Stam
47. Carey
48. Pearson
49. Gregg
50. Sheringham
Link and their reasoning
Keane’s position is an absolute joke; others are questionable, too, but what do you think?
Can you be arsed doing a list of 50 or even re-jigging this one?
I hadn't actually read until today that Taylor & Pegg had switched seats on the plane with Violet and Charlton just before hand.
That's just mad to get your head round.
As much as people get rightly annoyed by pre-1992 football history getting ignored in England, it does feel as if the period prior to the European Cup is completely detatched from European club football since.
Charlton should be number one.
Some questionable decisions.
I feel that you have to have the Ballon d'Or winners(Charlton, Law, Best, Ronaldo), the incredible leaders and talismans(Robson, Cantona and Keane) and Scholes + Giggs. That's the top 9 decided right there(in no particular order).
Irwin, Schmeichel, Rio, Rooney and Edwards are the next 5. Probably in that order.
Irwin, Schmeichel, Rio, Rooney and Edwards are the next 5. Probably in that order.
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- Bobby Charlton (longevity, peak, pristine public image & key part in our resurgence, from Munich to Wembley 68')
- George Best (probably the highest peak out of every United player, the most exquisite and exciting talent to play for us)
- Eric Cantona (without him there'd be no modern United, he was the difference-maker that set the foundation for the entire era; also bonus points for style)
- Ryan Giggs (
) - Denis Law (he was for the 60's what Cantona was for the 90's; it's not a coincidence that they share a royal nickname)
- Paul Scholes (incredible longevity and trophy cabinet, bonus points for overall likability; sucking toes > smacking lips)
- Roy Keane (most valuable player of our late 90's-early 00's side and arguably the greatest United captain of all-time)
- Bryan Robson (Keano with goals; the only alternative to Roy as out greatest ever captain — he was equally impressive albeit in a less fruitful era)
- Wayne Rooney (I guess our all-time top scorer should break into top-10?)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (it's between him and George Best as for the highest peak ever reached by a United player; fecked off way too early to be able to secure a higher spot)
- Rio Ferdinand (our greatest ever defender and one of the most likeable characters around; there's a great competition for that CB spot but he wins on longevity & success)
- David Beckham (the poster-boy for the entire generation and one of the key reasons that United became such a commercial juggernaut; a damn good player too)
- Duncan Edwards (the biggest "what if" in our history, whose name is almost synonymous with Busby Babes & Munich disaster)
- Peter Schmeichel (our greatest ever keeper and one of the most recognizable and iconic figures in club history)
- Dennis Violett (one of the few Busby Babes to survive Munich — it was Violett who, alongside Charlton, helped to keep the club afloat in those dark years)
- Harry Gregg (he wasn't a better player than van der Sar or De Gea, but he was a damn good keeper — and, even if we're being pedantic, pulling Charlton, Violett and Blanchflower out of the burning plane has to be one of the most important things any United player did ever)
- Denis Irwin (barely a dozen poor performance in north of 500 club appearances)
- Bill Faulkes (688 appearances, 20 years at the club, Munich survivor; that European Cup trophy of 68' was for him, Busby & Charlton)
- Edwin van der Sar (closely follows Schmeichel as our greatest ever keeper, he was crucial to United's best ever defensive unit)
- Martin Buchan (he was arguably our most influential player for a decade or so... even though it was a poor decade)
- Nemanja Vidić (the key to unleashing Rio's potential; captain, warrior, legend)
- Roger Byrne (Busby Babes captain, another tragic loss)
- Ruud van Nistelrooy (perhaps our most ruthless finisher whose legacy is a bit tarnished due to the enormous success we've enjoyed after his leave)
- Paul McGrath (McGrath & Robson would've easily made any World XI at their peak but both spent it trying to pull United to Liverpool's level at the time; perhaps our most talented defender)
- Jaap Stam (can't put Stam much lower — yes, he only spent three seasons with us; it was enough)
- David De Gea (his legacy has taken a huge toll due to his average performances over the past 4 or 5 years, but he was the only glimmer of hope in the shittiest of times)
- Tommy Taylor (another Babe who'd most likely still be our all-time top scorer if not for what happened)
- Steve Bruce (you don't need to be fast to be good; the 19 goal-season as a CB has to be one of the craziest records that any United player have set)
- Mark Hughes (he never scored lots of goals but he always scored when it was needed; and the collection of his volleys would rival that of van Basten's!)
- Gary Neville (I have to put him somewhere, #30 seems about right; ever-reliable and a bit underrated on the ball; always loved the club)
- Jack Rowley (211 goals in 424 appearances even if it was mostly in the pre-War football)
- Michael Carrick (the unsung hero of our "continental" side)
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (and Solskjaer has won that; we've had better strikers that haven't featured yet but none that were greater)
- Andy Cole (speaking of better strikers)
- Billy Meredith (I have to put him somewhere? The original Welsh Wizard and, by all accounts, United's greatest player of the pre-War era)
- Patrice Evra (the perfect addition to van der Sar, Rio & Vida; mentality monster and our most technically gifted fullbacks; just don't look at his Instagram for too long)
- Nobby Stiles (he'd run through a brick wall if it meant that United would get an advantage — and, unlike Vidić or Stam, he didn't have the physique to guarantee his own survival in that scenario)
- Gary Pallister (before the days of Rio & Vida, Bruce & Pallister were the benchmark for a Man United defensive duo)
- Dwight Yorke (almost forgot about him somehow; he never reached the same heights again but his 98/99 level was as good as it gets)
- Paddy Crerand (what a wonderful passer ol' Paddy was — looking through the grainy footage you'd be excused if you were to mix him up with Charlton himself)
- Norman Whiteside (he never reached the true heights that were expected of him but what a talent he was)
- Sammy McIlroy (11 seasons during which United was only competing for an FA Cup— 3 finals, 1 goal, 1 win)
- Brian Kidd (looked absolutely class next to The Holy Trinity and on a good day it could've been tough to guess which one of those 4 didn't won Ballon d'Or)
- Tony Dunne (another one in the line of outstanding Man Utd fullbacks)
- Brian McClair (I never truly warmed up to him for some weird reason even though he certainly deserves a place on this list)
- Paul Ince (would've been way higher if not for the subsequent Liverpool move, I'm quite bitter about that)
- Joe Spence (another name from the pre-War era that we can only assess by his reputation; "Give it to Joe" chant was apparently very popular at the time, so he must've been good)
- Teddy Sheringham (FWA Footballer of the Year and a goal in the Camp Nou final — should be enough to justify the inclusion)
- Alex Stepney (the hero of that Wembley final of 68')
- John O'Shea (am I allowed a sentimental inclusion?)
I've spent way too much time on this.
Impressive job, @harms ! 
I don't agree 100% with the order, but it's hard to disagree with the players in the top 10. Maybe apart from Rooney, who I think belongs behind Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Rio and Irwin.
I don't agree 100% with the order, but it's hard to disagree with the players in the top 10. Maybe apart from Rooney, who I think belongs behind Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Rio and Irwin.
Started watching mostly after Keane left...
Carrick is way too low. No reason for Rio and Vidic to be so far apart, Vidic was world class for 5 seasons and very good for 2 more.
Ronaldo could be higher too, not sure. Hard to be objective by isolating him from the 3*PL 1*CL achievements of that team, and also what he did at Real.
Based on season reviews of the 90s, Beckham, was unplayable, not sure where he fits.
Carrick is way too low. No reason for Rio and Vidic to be so far apart, Vidic was world class for 5 seasons and very good for 2 more.
Ronaldo could be higher too, not sure. Hard to be objective by isolating him from the 3*PL 1*CL achievements of that team, and also what he did at Real.
Based on season reviews of the 90s, Beckham, was unplayable, not sure where he fits.
1. Charlton
2. Ronaldo
3. Best
4. Giggs
5. Robson
6. Scholes
7. Law
8. Keane
9. Rooney
10. Cantona
Top 3 fairly clear for me, then tighter after. Giggs is absurdly underrated now, both for his off the field stuff and the how the role of the wide forward has changed to be basically a goalscorer first. He was a magnificent footballer, and if he had retired at 30 he would still be one of our greatest ever, it is not longevity that has him so high, it is that he might be the most talented player other than Best on that list.
Add me to the list of those seeing Andy Cole being disrespected yet again, levels above Ole as a player, run in behind, create, quick, aggressive, scored every type of goal, best movement of any striker Utd have had in my time watching, yes he missed a lot of chances but he gave defenders fits and played for the team first. Would rather watch a team from this selection with 2001 Cole as the striker than any version of RVN.
Neville is way too high, might not even be in my top 40.
2. Ronaldo
3. Best
4. Giggs
5. Robson
6. Scholes
7. Law
8. Keane
9. Rooney
10. Cantona
Top 3 fairly clear for me, then tighter after. Giggs is absurdly underrated now, both for his off the field stuff and the how the role of the wide forward has changed to be basically a goalscorer first. He was a magnificent footballer, and if he had retired at 30 he would still be one of our greatest ever, it is not longevity that has him so high, it is that he might be the most talented player other than Best on that list.
Add me to the list of those seeing Andy Cole being disrespected yet again, levels above Ole as a player, run in behind, create, quick, aggressive, scored every type of goal, best movement of any striker Utd have had in my time watching, yes he missed a lot of chances but he gave defenders fits and played for the team first. Would rather watch a team from this selection with 2001 Cole as the striker than any version of RVN.
Neville is way too high, might not even be in my top 40.
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In the beginning, He said, "Let there be Scholes." And He knew all was right, lest Scholes opens his mouth.
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Rooney
Ronaldo
Cantona
Schmeichel
Rio
Beckham
Top 9 in my lifetime, in order, giving weight to individual ability, personal and team achievements (and the number of these achievements, or "longevity").
Cantona would probably be higher but I was a little too young. Couldn't quite decide where to put Giggs, had him 1 originally, then 2, then settled on 3. For similiar reason as Cantona - his early success was a bit before my time, and later on Scholes edges it for me, despite Giggs performing better for an extra season or two at an older age. Scholes from around 1998 to 2008 was better. Keane 1st because not only was he a great CM, the way everyone talks about him - he set the tone, the winning attitude and character.
After that it would probably be a few players from around 2006-2011 like VDS, Evra and Vidic, also Ruud and Solskjaer in the discussion, Cole, Neville, Irwin there or thereabouts, then De Gea and Stam a little lower - cba to order them properly though.
Scholes
Giggs
Rooney
Ronaldo
Cantona
Schmeichel
Rio
Beckham
Top 9 in my lifetime, in order, giving weight to individual ability, personal and team achievements (and the number of these achievements, or "longevity").
Cantona would probably be higher but I was a little too young. Couldn't quite decide where to put Giggs, had him 1 originally, then 2, then settled on 3. For similiar reason as Cantona - his early success was a bit before my time, and later on Scholes edges it for me, despite Giggs performing better for an extra season or two at an older age. Scholes from around 1998 to 2008 was better. Keane 1st because not only was he a great CM, the way everyone talks about him - he set the tone, the winning attitude and character.
After that it would probably be a few players from around 2006-2011 like VDS, Evra and Vidic, also Ruud and Solskjaer in the discussion, Cole, Neville, Irwin there or thereabouts, then De Gea and Stam a little lower - cba to order them properly though.
Giggs has the following;
The most league titles of any player in English football history, the most trophies won of any player in English football history, the joint most European Cup/CL titles for Man Utd (with only Scholes, Neville and Brown), the most assists in Premier League history, the most Man Utd club appearances, the most appearances for one club in Premier League history.