Little Book of Manchester United (19 page)

Rotor Volgograd were the visitors to Old Trafford in September 1995 and it took a headed Peter Schmeichel goal in the dying minutes to preserve United’s unbeaten home record in Europe. The 2-2 draw was not enough to see United progress, however, with Rotor claiming a second-round berth on the away goals rule. United did make it to the second round in 1976-77, losing 3-1 on aggregate to Juventus.

*Lee Sharpe in action against Rotor Volgograd.

The 1984-85 season would take them closest to the trophy when they saw off the challenges of Raba Vasas, PSV Eindhoven and Dundee United on their way to a quarter-final meeting with Videoton. United won the home leg 1-0 but could not make a breakthrough in the second leg, conceding an equaliser in the first half. Extra-time could not separate the sides and missed penalties by Frank Stapleton and Mark Hughes cost United a place in the semi-final.

Upsets

United have not been the victims of that many giantkillings in their time and it is the Cup competitions that provide the minnows with opportunity to ruffle a few feathers. In their first ever League Cup campaign in 1960, Third Division Bradford City ousted them from the competition with a 2-1 victory.

There were not many who would have predicted that Second Division York City would take a 3-0 first leg advantage away from Old Trafford and hang on to win 4-3 on aggregate in the 1995-96 League Cup second round. FA Cup upsets have come at the hands of Third Division Bristol Rovers (4-0 third round winners in 1955-56), Second Division Southampton (1-0 winners in the 1975-76 Final) and Third Division Bournemouth (2-0 third round winners in 1983-84).

*Eric Djemba-Djemba battles Steve Flack of Exeter City during the FA Cup third round match, 2005.

Many also consider Exeter City’s 0-0 draw with United in the third round of the 2004-05 FA Cup to be an upset. Fergie’s team of youngsters could not break down the Conference side at Old Trafford, despite the introduction of Ronaldo, Scholes and Alan Smith from the subs bench. United went on to win the replay 2-0 at St James’ Park. A draw against Conference side Burton Albion at the same stage in January 2006 was, however, followed by an emphatic 5-0 win at Old Trafford.

C
HAPTER 22:
V
-
V
AN DER
S
AR,
V
AN
N
ISTELROOY,
V
IDIC,
V
IOLLET

Van der Sar

Since the departure of Peter Schmeichel in 1999, the goalposts at Old Trafford have seen nine different goalkeepers at a cost of £20 million. Of the most recent incumbents, Roy Carroll moved to West Ham in the summer of 2005, while Tim Howard did not prove reliable enough to be first choice.

Fabien Barthez was the most successful keeper for the longest time after Schmeichel’s departure to Sporting Lisbon, but he was prone to high profile errors. Sir Alex Ferguson signed Edwin Van der Sar in June 2005 in a bid to solve what might have become a goalkeeping crisis. The move worked however, as Van der Sar shored up the back line and helped United to a hat-trick of Premier League titles as well as denying Anelka in the penalty shoot-out to win the Champions League Final.

Having played for Ajax and Juventus and having made more than 150 appearances for Fulham, Van der Sar was in his mid thirties when he signed for the club but old father time had dulled neither his ambition nor his influence.

*Kevin Campbell of West Bromwich Albion is halted by Edwin Van Der Sar.

Age has not been a problem, far from it. In the 2008-09 season, he played 1,311 minutes in the League without conceding a goal. This remarkable feat set a new standard for English, British and European football.

Van Nistelrooy

Born 1 July 1976, Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s debut for United in August 2001 nearly did not take place after the striker found himself fighting to regain fitness after a knee injury threatened to rob him of his career. He was due to move from PSV Eindhoven and sign for United at the end of the 1999-2000 season, but the problem with his knee meant he had to return to Holland and undergo an extensive rehabilitation process. Once he had recovered he signed for the club for a transfer fee of £19 million and proved to Alex Ferguson and the rest of the team that he had been well worth the wait.

*Ruud scores the opening goal from the penalty spot during the Premiership match against Fulham in 2003.

Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole soon left and Van Nistelrooy became the exceptional striker that United were looking for. During the 2001-02 season he scored 36 goals and went on to set a new Premiership record by scoring in eight consecutive League games which included his first hat-trick for his team when they beat Southampton 6-1. His attitude was even more determined in his second season, scoring 44 goals with 15 of them coming in the last ten matches. But while the European Cup, the FA Cup and the League Cup eluded United, Van Nistelrooy’s shooting ability ensured the club brought the Premiership trophy back to Old Trafford.

*Sir Alex welcomes new signing Ruud van Nistelrooy to Old Trafford in April 2001.

The start of the 2003-04 season saw him continuing his magnificent form and his goals in ten successive games beat the record of eight set by Liam Whelan in the 1950s. Van Nistelrooy helped United win the FA Cup in 2003-04 with two goals against Millwall in the Final. He had a contract with United that could have lasted at least until June 2008 but he was on his way to Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 after he fell out with Sir Alex.

Vidic

There aren’t many players who win half a dozen trophies in their first four seasons at a new club but that is exactly what Nemanja Vidic has achieved with three Premier League titles, Champions League and Fifa World Club Finals as well as a Carling Cup in 2009 and 2010.

*Nemanja Vidic controls the ball.

Born in Yugoslavia on 21 October 1981, Vidic made his professional debut for Red Star Belgrade in 2000 and helped them to the League and Cup double in 2004 before heading for Moscow. Rated as one of the best defenders in Europe, Vidic is also a danger at set pieces and had scored 13 goals in 179 games by the end of the 2009-10 season. With such performances not going unnoticed around the world, United fans were overjoyed to hear that he signed a contract extension in 2007 that keeps the player who has won 40 caps for his native Serbia, at the club until 2012.

Viollet

A local lad born 20 September 1933, Dennis Viollet was an outstanding striker, particularly during the 1959-60 season when he scored 32 League goals. He signed for United in 1952, having joined Matt Busby’s youth scheme after leaving school. He had a tremendous strength despite his slight frame that won him his first-team debut aged 19 alongside Tommy Taylor at Newcastle.

Like Taylor, Viollet won League Championship medals in 1956 and 1957. Renowned for his lightning runs, quick reflexes and intelligent positioning it was surprising he only won two caps for England, against Hungary and Luxembourg in 1960. Despite surviving the Munich air crash, he suffered head injuries which rendered him unable to play until the end of the 1957-58 season when he played as a warm up to the FA Cup Final against Bolton Wanderers. His form suffered for a time but was regained during the following season when his goals helped United finish second in the First Division.