Little Book of Manchester United (2 page)

*Beckham scores the opening goal during the league match between Villa and United at Villa Park, 2003.

He returned from the World Cup to vitriolic abuse, but quickly knuckled down and proved wrong all those who thought his career in English football was over. He went on to captain the England side four years later and, despite going out in the quarter-finals to Brazil, the team returned home as heroes. Beckham enjoyed further success at Old Trafford including the 1998-99 Treble before his departure to Real Madrid in June 2003.

After winning La Liga championship in his final season with the club he joined LA Galaxy in 2007 and also enjoyed a loan spell with AC Milan in 2009. His move to Milan has helped prolong his England career and he has now amassed 115 caps, more than any outfield player in the history of English football.

Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov is a classy centre-forward, pairing the ability to ruthlessly find the net inside the box with magical touches outside of it.

Berbatov started out at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia where his talent quickly attracted the attention of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen who made their move for the front man in January 2001. Although he was national team captain and Bulgarian Player of the Year in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007, he made a slow start to his time in Germany albeit regularly shining in the Champions League.

He was eventually lured to the Premier League when Tottenham signed him in July 2006 for a reported £10.9 million fee. He was an instant hit at White Hart Lane scoring his first competitive goal two minutes into his home League debut against Sheffield United. He went on to score 23 goals in his opening season, which he matched again in 2007-08.

*Fabricio Coloccini of Newcastle United is unable to stop Dimitar Berbatov scoring.

After months of speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson finally got his man on transfer deadline day with just minutes to go. Berbatov signed a four-year contract on 1 September 2008 for an undisclosed fee, with Fraizer Campbell heading to White Hart Lane on a season-long loan as part of the deal.

Berbatov opened his account for the Reds in the same month with two goals away at Aalborg in the Champions League and finished his first season with 14 goals in 42 appearances. He has now racked up 26 goals for the Reds.

Best

On 16 August 1961, George Best signed as an apprentice for United and went on to become one of the most prolific professionals of all time. The ‘Belfast Boy’, born on 22 May 1946, went on to sign professionally in May 1963, making his League debut against West Bromwich Albion in September, but remained in the reserves until December that year when he scored in a 5-1 victory. He kept his place on the team and went on to play 466 League, Cup and European games, scoring 178 goals.

Although Best won 37 caps for Northern Ireland – he made his debut in April 1964 – he never actually played in the finals of a major tournament. Not only did he make a name for himself with his goalscoring, Best was renowned for taking on his opponents which was exciting for his fans. Women, particularly, took a shine to Best and football’s popularity during the 1960s blossomed alongside his cult status. Best was also gifted at making space for his teammates, notably Bobby Charlton and Denis Law.

*George Best against Fulham, 1971.

Nicknamed ‘El Beatle’ by the Portuguese after a European Cup match against Benfica in 1966, Best had become football’s answer to the Liverpudlian pop idols with his entertaining football and rebel lifestyle. United won the Championship in 1967 and during the following season he enjoyed his greatest success, scoring 28 League goals and inspiring the team to become the first English club to win the European Cup. 1968 saw Best given the titles of Player of the Year, in both England and Northern Ireland, and European Footballer of the Year.

Two seasons later, however, Best was involved in a number of clashes with referees, United started to go downhill, and late nights fuelled with alcohol added to the slippery slope. Matt Busby’s retirement in 1969 seemed to mark the end for George Best. He was fined £100 and received a month’s suspension for knocking the ball from the hands of a referee during a League Cup semi-final against Manchester City, During the 1968-69 season. His performance both on and off the pitch was becoming erratic, but he always remained a difficult opponent. At the end of the 1970 season he was sent off while playing for Northern Ireland for spitting and throwing mud at the referee.

*George in action during the Division One match against Everton played at Old Trafford, in 1968.

Despite being the top United scorer in May 1971 with 18 goals, his relationship with the management team at United was suffering. In 1972, after failing to turn up to training, manager Frank O’Farrell dropped him, fined him two weeks’ wages, gave him extra training and ordered him to return to digs. He then failed to report for Northern Ireland and in May 1972 he announced his retirement while in Spain. He did return but only scored four goals in 1972-73.

George Best played his last game for United on 1 January 1974 aged 27.

He went on to play for a variety of clubs in England, Scotland and America but never again reached his outstanding form. He died in November 2005, aged 59, losing his battle with illnesses linked to alcoholism, and his death was mourned worldwide.

Brown

Wes Brown, born 13 October 1979, signed for United in November 1996 and despite injury setbacks, including a broken ankle, was set to become the team’s strongest defender for many years. In his first full season his performances for the reserves and juniors – winning a Lancashire FA Youth Cup winner’s medal and a Lancashire League Division One medal as well as the Denzil Haroun Young Player of the Year award – earned Brown his place on the first team, making his debut against Leeds in May 1998.

*Wes Brown celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Liverpool, March 2008.

He is a solid, reliable defender who cemented his regular place when deputising for the injured Denis Irwin at full-back. His established international career at Under-18 and Under-21 levels ensured Brown a step up to the England team during the 1998-99 season, when he received his first cap under Kevin Keegan playing against Hungary in Budapest. Knee ligament injuries during 1999-2000 and his broken ankle at the end of the 2002-03 season were devastating for Brown, but he returned to full fitness and regained his place in the first team and earned himself an England recall.

Following the arrival of Vidic who struck up an understanding with Ferdinand, Brown found opportunities limited but with Gary Neville out injured for 2007-08, the versatile defender slotted in naturally at right-back and has signed a contract that keeps him with the club until 2012.

Bruce

Steve Bruce is one of only 33 players to have appeared in more than 300 League games for United – he played a total of 410 times for the club. Bruce was born 31 December 1960 and began his career with Gillingham, having signed professionally for them in October 1978. The general consensus was that although he was committed, he lacked genuine talent – this turned out not to be true, as his illustrious career shows.

He was renowned for his determination and leadership which became an essential part of the most successful era in United’s history. Bruce signed for United in December 1987 after a successful career at Norwich City who he joined in July 1984 on his departure from Priestfield. His grit and determination turned out to be just the qualities that United were looking for and he became their most reliable defender.

*Bruce in action during a Premiership match against West Ham United at Upton Park, May 1995.

He had a seven-year partnership with Gary Pallister, whose pace and ball control complemented his own organisational skills. For a while, he was the club’s penalty taker, which helped increase his scoring rate and in his eight and a half seasons he scored 51 times. He also scored the highest ever total for a defender during a single season in 1990-91 with 19 goals.

In 1992, Bruce took over the captaincy from Bryan Robson and in his four years as captain he lifted three Premiership trophies, the FA Cup and the League Cup, including the Double in 1993-94 and 1995-96. Bruce never got a full England call-up and left for Birmingham City (who he later managed) on a free transfer in 1996. He has also managed Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Wigan and Sunderland.

Buchan

Another defender that made an impression at United, although earlier than Steve Bruce, was Martin Buchan, born 6 March 1949. After a successful career at Aberdeen, where he had been made captain aged 20, he led the team to a Scottish Cup victory. In 1971, he made his debut for Scotland – he went on to win 34 caps – and was voted Scottish Player of the Year.