The Manchester United All-Time Draft - Selection Thread & Rules

[ASUCruz]

David Sadler

http://www.dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/sadler.jpg

Born: 5 February 1946

Position: Centerback(really any position!)

Caps:

England 4

Apperances for United

340 Games / 27 Goals

Honours with United

1967 League Championship Medal
1968 European Cup Medal

Profile

David Sadler was born in Yalding, Kent, on 5th February 1946.

After impressive displays for Maidstone United, which gained him a place in England's amateur team, United beat numerous League sides to gain his signature in November 1962.

Although he had to wait almost nine months for his League debut, he became an important member of United's squad. In the 1965-66 season he gained a regular place in the United team and was ever present until the 1972-73 season.

Whilst at Manchester United, Sadler played for England at youth, under-23 and full level on four occasions and represented the Football League four times. In addition to international honours he collected a League Championship medal in 1967 and a European Cup winner's medal in 1968.

As a player Sadler was one of the most versatile in Matt Busby's squad. He was initially signed as an inside-forward, but could perform competently in almost any position. He will however be remembered as a centre-half, where he played most games. He had an excellent understanding of the game and was a calm passer of the ball.

In November 1973 he left Old Trafford after making 340 appearances and scoring 27 goals, to join Preston North End for £25,000. He stayed at Deepdale until injury forced him out of the game in 1977.

On leaving football he resumed the career he had given up to become a professional footballer - banking, becoming the manager for a building society.

He now runs 'David Sadler' promotions and is active in the running of the former players' association.

Profile courtesy of Manutd.com
http://www.manutd.com/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=2315

[billyireland]

Benni picks...

http://www.vicsfan.uklinux.net/billymeredith.jpg
Billy Meredith

Full Name William Henry Meredith
Date of Birth 30th July 1874
Place of Birth Black Park, Wales
Position Winger
Height 5ft 9
United debut 1/1/1907 vs Aston Villa (H)


Quote:
Ryan Giggs is often referred to as the "Welsh Wizard". His style of taking on opposition defences and lightning sprints down the wing resemble the classic wingers of football's early days. However the first Manchester United Welsh Wizard was dazzling on the wing almost 90 years before Giggs and his name was Billy Meredith.

Meredith was a highly controversial player from an era in which Manchester United first tasted success. It is fair to say he was the Eric Cantona of the day but with the playing style of Ryan Giggs or George Best. His United career lasted from 1907-21( including war years). His bursts of speed and mazy runs down the wing coupled with his deadly crosses earned him the title the "Welsh Wizard" and made him the undoubted star of the team and a hero with fans. Meredith was also nicknamed "Old Skinny" for his lean, slim, frame.

After playing for Northwich Victoria and Wrexham he signed for Manchester City in 1894 and quickly made a name for himself. At City he won the Second Division title twice in 1899 and 1903 and captained the team to an F.A. Cup Final victory in 1904. It seemed he could do no wrong but in 1905 a bribery scandal erupted - the FA accused him of bribing an Aston Villa player. Meredith denied the charge but the Football Association banned him and the entire City team for a year. Eventually the ban was quashed and Meredith stunned the English football world by signing for City's rapidly emerging cross town rivals - Manchester United

Under the management of Ernest Mangall, one of the club's great managers, Meredith was instrumental in helping United to glory. He won two League Championship medals in 1908 and 1911, and an FA Cup winners' medal in 1909. When English footballers formed a players Union in 1907 many players were forced to leave it by the disapproving FA but Meredith refused to follow and stuck to his principles. Meredith, alongside United half-back Charlie Roberts, was a central figure in the Union's formation and joined "The Outcasts FC", a group of United players who wouldn't adhere to the FA rule. Eventually he was successful when the FA caved in 1910 and allowed the Union to exist - it was a sweet victory for Meredith and his fellow dissenters.

World War One broke up the fine United side in 1915, and he was unable to recapture his former heights on his return after the war. Surprisingly Meredith returned to Man City in 1921 to finish his career. He went on to become the oldest international of all-time when he played for Wales at the extraordinary age of 48 and played in an FA Cup semi-final at the age of 49. No footage exists of Meredith in action, merely newspaper accounts and reports. His name is rarely mentioned today but when you analyse his football career there can be no doubt he was one of the true giants of his day and has a deserved place in the hall of legends.

[Stud83]

Jack Rowley

http://red11.org/mufc/images/player/rowley.jpg

City of Birth
Wolverhampton, 7/10/1920

Weight
76.64 kg

Height
175 cm

Position
Forward

Appearances with Club
503

Goals Scored with Club
312

International Caps
6 (England)

International Goals
6
Jack Rowley was born in Wolverhampton on 7th October 1920.

After a brief spell with his home town club Wolverhampton Wanderers and seven months with Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic, where he scored 10 goals in 11 appearances, Rowley signed for United for £3,000 in 1937.

In his first full season at Old Trafford he helped Manchester United to the runners-up position in the Second Division, thus securing promotion to the First Division.

Like many professional footballers his age, when the Second World War broke out his career was interrupted for six years as competitive League football was suspended.

During the War he served in the South Staffordshire regiment, participating in the D-Day landings at Normandy in 1945.

Whilst serving in the army he made guest appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aldershot, Belfast Distillery, Folkestone, Shrewsbury Town and Tottenham Hotspur.

When League football recommenced in 1946, Jack Rowley continued his career with Manchester United. He was a full England international and helped United win the F.A. Cup in 1948, scoring twice in the final in a 4-2 victory over Blackpool.

In 1952 his 30 League goals helped United to the First Division Championship the first time since 1911.

At his peak Rowley was one of the best strikers in the country. His goals came from either his lethal left foot or his accurate heading.

However he was not just a goal scorer; his all round play was generally good with him often posing as the provider of goals. He was nicknamed 'the gunner' by the supporters because of his shooting skills.

In 1955 after making 503 appearances scoring 312 goals, he left Manchester United to join Plymouth Argyle as their player-manager, retiring from playing two years later in 1957.

Rowley has many achievements to his name, including scoring 182 goals in the league - second-best result in MU history, after Bobby Charlton; 26 FA cup goals (second-best to Denis Law record of 36), and a staggering total of 11 hat-tricks in his career, including 4 in season 1951-1952 - more than Law, Violett and Charlton!

Courtesy: manutd.com, red11.org

[SirManchester]

http://www.manutdzone.com/playerpages/GabrielHeinze.jpg

GABRIEL HEINZE

DATE OF BIRTH: APRIL 19TH 1978

POSITION: LEFT BACK/CENTRAL DEFENDER

LEAGUE APPEARANCES: 26 GOALS: 1
FA CUP APPEARANCES: 4 GOALS: 0
LEAGUE CUP APPEARANCES: 2 GOALS: 0
EUROPE APPEARANCES: 7 GOALS: 0

NO HONOURS WITH UNITED YET

PROFILE:


The player, who has a German father and an Italian mother, began his career in his homeland with Newell's Old Boys. Somewhat bizarrely, Heinze is able to speak Welsh. He hails from Patagonia, an area where many Welsh people settled in the 19th century and as such the language is spoken to some degree.
He soon drew the attention of European scouts and in 1997 was snapped up by Spanish outfit Real Valladolid. Leaving his homeland at such a young age without having turned out for the national side, the tough-tackling, left-footed centre-back was barely known in his home nation. He was then loaned to Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon for the 1998/99 campaign.
On his return to Spain he established himself as a star of the Valladolid side, building up a reputation as a powerful left-sided player with good aerial ability. That led to a move to Paris Saint Germain in 2001, where he continued to impress. In 2003/04 he picked up a French Cup winners' medal and a Ligue 1 runners-up medal.
Heinze holds an Italian passport but opted to play for the nation of his birth, Argentina. Yet he was still an unknown back in Argentina - when he earned his fifth cap against Ecuador he had to be introduced to fans in the press back home. His performances for PSG earned him a place in Argentina's World Cup qualification squad and an important part of the country's World Cup 2006 qualifying side.

As the defender prepared for Argentina's World Cup qualifying matches in May 2004 he was linked with Manchester United. A couple of weeks later he signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford.


Heinze said on arrival: "I am extremely proud to sign for such a great Club. It is a very important step in my football career to join Manchester United and I have faith and great belief that I can meet the high expectations required".

Sir Alex Ferguson said: "We have been monitoring Gabriel for a long time and he demonstrates all the qualities of the top Argentinian defenders – strength, speed and excellent technical ability. He can play either as a central defender or left back and this flexibility means that he is a great acquisition for the Club."

Heinze had built up a reputation as a powerful, no-nonsense defender. One newspaper in France ran a poll to discover which player fans thought was the roughest defender in French football - Heinze was the unequivocal winner. The signing of the Argentine brought to an end a long search for a much needed defender for Sir Alex but a delay because of the Copa America and Argentinian Olympic involvement meant Heinze did not arrive until mid September - he made up for it by scoring on his debut against Bolton!
Though he arrived in England with a hard man reputation his disciplinary record was not blemished by red cards. A fine tackler and dominant in the air, United fans were highly impressed by his tenacity and unending determination to stop opponents. The chant of "Argentina! Argentina!" could often be heard in support of Heinze by mischevious United fans who know it's 'wind-up'effect on rival fans.

Though Wayne Rooney stole the headlines, many believed Gabriel Heinze was the club's player of the season and he must rank as one of Ferguson's finest signings in recent years.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

courtesy of manutdzone and fussballdaten

[johno]

Gordon McQueen 2/8/1958

http://www.thesonsofscotland.co.uk/images/hall%20of%20fame/Gordon%20McQueen.jpg


Position: Center back

Nationality: Scottish

Matches 229
Goals 26
(w/ Unt)

Honors:

FA Cup silver medal 1979
FA Cup 1983

McQueen was a very fast, centerback who possesed a great leap which made him a lethal weapon in attack throughout his career, not to mention making crosses into his own area easy pickings. McQueen was almost never beaten for pace and his partnership w/ **** was one of United's most consistent and effective pairings.

His international career saw him gain 30 caps scoring 5 goals, the most memmorable of which was against England at Wembley in a 2-1 win.

He started off his club career as a sheep shagger, but came to his senses in 1978 and McQueen moved from Leeds to the club's sworn enemies Manchester United :D in a 495,000 pounds move which shocked Leeds fans.

McQueen settled in quickly at Old Trafford and reached the FA Cup final in 1979, scoring a late goal as Manchester United came back from 2-0 down against Arsenal to level up, only for their opponents to wrestle the Cup back with a last-minute winner. McQueen stayed in the team for the first half of the 1980s, finally winning the FA Cup in 1983 after a replay against Brighton & Hove Albion. He also was in the team which lost the League Cup final to Liverpool in the same season.

McQueen stayed at Manchester United until 1985, when at 33 he called it a career and hung up his boots.

Interesting Note:

United conceeded 63 goals the season prior to McQueen's arrival... after his arrival they conceeded 35, 36, 29, 38 and 41. The year after he departed they conceeded 47 goals. (stats generated by manutdzone applet).

[GrodZilla]

Eddie Colman

http://www.manutdzone.com/atoz/pictures/EddieColman.jpg


Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 1/11/1936
Appearances: 107
Goals Scored: 2



An excellent crosser of the ball, with a powerful shot, Half-back Eddie Colman linked up superbly with Duncan Edwards. Edwards provided the strength whilst the diminutive Colman provided the wizardry.

A player with excellent ball winning skills and insightful passing made him Colman a favourite, fans called him 'snake-hips', because of his distinctive body swerve. So many of the team's attacking flair came from his devastating dribbling ability. He had great vision for creating openings and he was particularly skilled at curling perfect passes around stranded defenders to feed the strikers.

He won two League Championship medals and played in the 1957 F.A. Cup Final. Colman was one of those killed at Munich in 1958.

[billyireland]

http://www.webdirect.no/bilder/manchester/images/teddy-champs.jpg
Teddy Sheringham


Sheringham began his career with Millwall as an apprentice and after playing 220 league appearances for Millwall, scoring 93 goals, he was bought by Nottingham Forest in 1991 where he came to prominence. Whilst at Forest he played with a young Roy Keane but at the end of his first full season at the City Ground, Sheringham was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £2.1 million. At Spurs he became a hero, making 166 League appearances and scoring 76 League goals. By then, a full international, Sheringham played an important part in England's success in Euro 96 as regular strike partner for Alan Shearer.

However, concerned that at the age of 31 he had yet to win a major trophy, he asked for a transfer in the summer of 1997 and it was shock when he bought by Manchester United in the summer of 1997 for £3.5 million. He made his debut for United, ironically at White Hart Lane, against his old club Spurs. His season, after a good start began to falter after January and United finished pot-less to Arsenal who won the double. Sheringham was something of a scapegoat, constantly compared to the legendary Cantona while Arsenal fans loved to mock the ex-Spurs man's failure.

After being overshadowed by the Yorke-Cole strike partnership for most of the 1998-99 season, Teddy Sheringham came good at the end of the season. Sheringham's role in United's treble of 1998-99 was considerable. He scored the opening goal in the FA Cup Final win over Newcastle and the last minute equaliser against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Not only that but he also set up Solskjaer's winner with a header. While many had written him off he still had highly impressive performances against Juventus, Arsenal (the FA Cup Replay) Sheffield Wednesday and Bayern.

The 1999-2000 season saw Teddy in much the same role as a super-sub but he still made a valuable contribution scoring vital goals against Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal (which shut up the taunting Gooners fans). The 2000-2001 season was undoubtedly Sheringham's best at the club. He was top scorer with 21 goals and instrumental in guiding the club to the Premier League title. The best moments must be: A hat-trick of great goals against Southampton, the crucial winner at home to Dynamo Kiev, a brace away to Leicester, a pair at home to Bradford, the winner at home to Middlesbrough, the last minute FA Cup winner at Fulham and the sixth goal in the 6-1 rout of Arsenal. Dwight Yorke was now the one to make way for Teddy, a reversal of the situation two years ago.
His excellent form saw a return to the England scene and Sheringham also won a personal trophy double as he won both the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards in May. At 35 he decided that perhaps he had reached his peak at United and it would be all downhill from then on. Sheringham returned back to the less intense environment of Tottenham on a free transfer in May 2001 and later to newly promoted Portsmouth in June 2003.
When Teddy returns to Old Trafford he always gets a great reception, we'll never forget that goal in the Nou Camp when our Treble dreams where rescued so dramatically. Teddy Sheringham came to Man United and won it all, but he also won the respect of everybody in the world of football.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/7082/1992516blancnew3002wg.jpg

Name: Laurent Blanc
Birthdate: 19/11/1965
Birthplace: Ales, France
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 13st 12lb
Debut for Manchester United: 08/09/2001 v Everton (H) 4-1 (Premiership)
Farewell to United: Retired, 01/07/2003

Appearances: 71 (4)
Goals: 4

Sir Alex Ferguson had unsuccessfully attempted to lure veteran French defender Laurent Blanc to Old Trafford three times in the past but with the sudden departure of Jaap Stam, United needed a quick replacement with only 5 days before the Champions League transfer deadline. Finally at the 4th attempt the Frenchman signed for United on a free transfer on a one year contract on 30th August 2001. United became the ninth club of an eventful career that had began way back in 1983 and had saw him win a World Cup winners medal in 1998.

United fans were at first alarmed at the arrival of a 35 year old and by his obvious lack of pace. Blanc quickly became the focus of critics as the team was badly leaking goals. But this was unfair for he didn't make a single error during that period, the problems were simply that those defenders around him were not playing well and it was easy to blame the newcomer.

By the second half of the season United had solved their defensive woes and the big man was a towering presence. The Frenchman was impressive in the air, scoring four times from headed corners. It was his composure under pressure that stood out the most though, the cool-as-a-cucumber Blanc seemed to have never heard of the word "panic". United fans soon began calling him "Larry White" and he still did his famous "Barthez head kissing ritual", made famous in France 98, but only before every Champions League game.

In July 2002, after coaxing by Ferguson, Laurent agreed to postpone his retirement and stay another year at Old Trafford. After playing most of the games in the first half of the 2002-2003 season, now at the age of 37, he was used him primarily as a reserve for the title run in. After winning a Premiership medal with the triumphant United team in May 2003, Blanc finally retired, bringing to a close a career lasting two decades.

[Dark Savante]

http://cards.littleoak.com.au/197071_abc_orangebacks/mau_214_tony_dunne.JPG


nameAnthony Peter Dunne (Tony Dunne)

position Left(n) Right Full back




Capped by Eire as bothan amateur and a professional, Tony Dunne cost United a bargain £5000 in April 60. In the week before his transfer he won an FAI Cup winners` medal when his club, Shelbourne beat Cork Hibs 2-0 at Dalymount Park, Dublin.

A small and compact full-back, Dunne was quick in the tackle, even quicker to recover, and could match the majority of wingmen for speed off the mark. Happy on either flank, his first chance of regular League action came in season 1961-2 when Noel Cantwell was injured. The wiry Dunne did so well that for some time after Cantwell`s recovery, he was unable to displace his young countryman.

One of the top full-backs in United`s history, the loyal and consistent Dunne was an FA Cup winner with United in 1963, won League championships in 65 and 67, and was a European Cup winner in 1968 when he turned in an outstanding display in the final. In 1969 he was elected Irish Footballer of the Year.
After appearing in over 500 matches for United he joined Bolton, on a free transfer, in Aug 73. He was, with hindsight, probably released too early by Tommy Docherty as, during his spell at Burndon Park, his high standards never faltered and he was a key member of the 77-8 side which won the championship of Div 2.

At the end of the following season he retired from League football, having taken his career aggregate to a figure in excess of 700 appearances. He won 32 caps for the Republic of Ireland, and represented his country as an amateur in the Olympic Games.

Appearances:
FL 414 - 2 g
FAC 54 - 0 g
FLC 21 - 0 g
EUR 40 - 0 g
Total: 529 apps 2 goals

[Dark Savante]

http://www.manutdzone.com/atoz/pictures/stevecoppell.jpg

name Stephen James Coppell
position Right Wing


Residents of Liverpool’s Croxteth may not like it, but their community has enriched the lives of Manchester United fans. Currently famous for being the birthplace of Wayne Rooney, Croxteth is also where United’s legendary 1970s winger Steve Coppell entered the world.

Like Rooney, Coppell was a young Liverpudlian who moved to Old Trafford from a Merseyside club. And his £40,000 transfer from Tranmere Rovers (almost three decades ago), was arguably just as intriguing as Rooney’s, but for entirely different reasons.

"I was a full-time Economics student at Liverpool University who played part-time for Tranmere," recalls Coppell, currently excelling as manager of Championship side Reading. "Football was a bonus as I'd resigned myself to not making it. Mark Palios was an older student footballer at Tranmere and I'd often take his guidance."

The cerebral Coppell was quite capable of thinking for himself, however, and he was given plenty to ponder when a series of surging right-wing displays at Prenton Park saw attention bestowed from beyond the Wirral. "Apparently a couple of Liverpool directors had been watching me," he reveals. "Then halfway through my second year at Liverpool University I got a call telling me that Manchester United wanted to buy me and that Tranmere had agreed a fee. It was like a dream."

The fee was tiny (even by 1975 standards), although United had to pay another £20,000 if Coppell made 20 appearances. He would make 395 - not bad for a player who trained alone in Liverpool after signing. "I told Tommy Docherty that I had an option to delay my studies. He said, 'absolutely no chance, football can be finished at the click of your finger, academic qualifications are with you for life'. I'm eternally thankful for that."

So Coppell, the student United professional, studied in Liverpool and trained alone, except for a weekly Tuesday night session at the Cliff. "It would never happen now, and it would only be with a character like Doc that it happened then," reckons Coppell. "Docherty was a major influence on my life and I still love him to bits."

Despite not having seen him play yet, Docherty introduced Coppell to United first-team action immediately. "I came on as a sub for Willie Morgan against Cardiff in the old Second Division four days after signing," recalls Coppell. "It was 0-0 and I was so frightened the first time I got the ball that I just crossed it. Stuart Pearson – who’d lent me some boots – scored. I had a hand in another goal and we won 4-0.

"It was beyond a fairytale. And, despite later winning trophies, that day was my highlight as a United player. My heart was jumping out of my chest…I’ve never had another experience like it. I wasn’t running, I was floating across the grass. Words don’t do the experience justice. I’ve had a few operations and it was like that little pleasant stage after the anaesthetic. Only multiplied by 100!"
Coppell's thrilling runs and slick skills ensured he became a regular (at one point in his eight-year Old Trafford career he played 206 consecutive league games, a club record unlikely to be broken) despite the stresses of his dual role. "There were no problems with me studying in Liverpool and playing for United," he insists. "And if United didn’t have a midweek game I’d play in net in the University Interdepartmental League. We got to the Cup final, losing 6-1 to Geography – not one of my better games!"

It was a bizarre concept: playing for United at Anfield at the weekend, and in Anfield for Economics midweek. But Coppell coped with it just as easily as he dealt with being a Liverpudlian playing in ‘enemy’ territory. "United fans appreciated it if you had a go," he says. "They don’t like prima donnas; regardless of skill, they want to see commitment and effort. I'd have a bad game but as long as I tried the crowd were alright. But if you appeared big time, then they would dig you out. Old Trafford could be a harsh environment."

Coppell played his part as United won promotion in 1974/75, but 12 months later the emotions were rather different as the Reds lost to Southampton in the 1976 FA Cup final. "I watched the 1975 final as a student and a year later I was playing in it," he remembers. "I didn’t feel that bad after the game but later it dawned on me that it might be the only time I played in a Cup final and I got really depressed. After the defeat the Doc told fans: 'We’re going to win the Cup for you next year.' All the players thought, 'Oh, no', but we did win – and against a team chasing the Treble." That team, of course, was Liverpool.

"Maybe the winning goal in the 1977 Cup final was fortuitous, but we won and it was all the more special because we’d lost out a year earlier," says Coppell.

League success, however, was harder to elicit. "Liverpool were so good," he explains, "albeit with a different style. They would spend the first 15 minutes passing the ball back to the goalkeeper. You couldn’t get into the game against them. The Doc’s side were mavericks. When things were going great we could smother teams, but when they weren't we didn't have other options. We played a fast, high-tempo, exciting style, more suited to today, especially with the backpass rule."

In that side, Coppell performed on one wing, with Gordon Hill on the other. "People made comparisons and our personalities reflected the play," says Coppell. "He was exciting and more skilful…I was steadier. His highs were higher, his lows lower. My strength was that physically I was strong and quick. I could grind people down. And as long as we scored one more than the opposition, the Doc was happy.
His successor, Dave Sexton, tried to make us tighter, and without being instructed I got a little more passive and defensive. Then 'Big Ron' came along and encouraged me to stay wide and to take people on."

Coppell had become a regular for both club and country (he was capped 42 times), and it was while playing for England, in 1981, that a tackle by Hungary’s Josef Roth left him nursing a serious knee injury. "It was a bad, high challenge, but the fella wasn’t malicious," he admits. "I never truly recovered, but ironically I played some of my best football for United afterwards. I wasn’t relying on my physical ability, but more on my experience and knowledge."

After three operations to the anterior cruciate ligament, a relatively routine procedure today, a surgeon told the 28-year-old he should stop playing if he wanted to be walking at 35. It left United fans as stunned as Coppell. "It’s the ultimate irony that I finished my career early through injury after all those consecutive games and being so proud of my fitness.

"I took Crystal Palace on tour to Finland and Roth was playing there. Someone asked if I wanted to meet him. I wasn’t bitter, but I didn’t want to meet him either. It felt a bit funny, him still playing and me not, but you have to accept what life deals you.

"I could look at it as a tragedy, but I feel blessed that I played so many games for such a special club like United, blessed to be so fondly remembered by so many people. And to score a goal at the Stretford End, to see all those people so happy because of something you’ve done was truly special. I can fully understand sportsmen who feel a hole in their lives once they have finished playing – especially those who’ve played for United."

Appearances:
FL 320 - 54 g
FAC 36 - 4 g
FLC 25 - 9 g
EUR 11 - 3 g
Total: 392 apps 70 goals

manutd.com

[Teso Dos Bichos]

<Picture unavailable>

Name: David George Herd
Birthdate: 15/04/1934
Birthplace: Larnakshire, Scotland
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 13st

David Herd was born in Hamilton but brought up in Moss, Sale, Manchester, signed amateur forms with Stockport County when only 15 years of age. When he made his Football League debut in May 1951 it was in the same Stckport County line up as his 39 year old father Alec, the former Manchester City playing colleague of United's manager Sir Matt Busby. It was only the second time father and son had apperaed in the same league team, yet David was destined to emulate his father's success and also became an FA Cup and Championship winner.

Arsenal paid £10.000 for him in Aug 1954 and he scored an impressive 97 league goals in 166 apps or them winning five Scottish caps. He cost UNITED £35.000 in July 1961 and in his 3rd league game for the REDS histwo goals in 6-1 win at Blackburn Rovers took his tally to 100 emulating his fathers achievement of a century with Manchester City.

Strong, equipped with a clean, accurate shot, difficult to knock off the ball and a skilfull leader of the line. Herd took a little time to settle in at OT but soon repaid Sir matt's confidence in his abilities, particularly after he struck up an exciting rapport with new arrival Denis Law and the goals gegan to flow regularly. He scored twice in the 1963 FA cup final victory against Leicester and won the League Championship medals in 1965 & 1967. He scored on his UNITED debut in the FA Cup, FL Cup, and all three European competitions, but not in the league. Indeed, David herd scoring record for UNITED was superb yet he is rarely mentioned in the same breath as other stars of that vintage era at Old Trafford, and it seems incredible to recall now that such an honest soul was even barracked in the days before the 1965 championship run.

A broken leg suffered whilst scoring against leicester in th 1967 championship seson, saw an end of his best days and heralded a move to Stoke. When he left the game in Dec 72 his post as Lincoln City's manager was taken by a very promising recruit, 28 year old Graham Taylor! David then became a garage owner in Urmston.

Appearances:
FL 201 - 114 g
FAC 35 - 13 g
FLC 1 - 1 g
EUR 25 - 14 g
Total: 262 apps 144 goals

[billyireland]

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_football/WILKINS_Ray_19780211_GH_L.jpg
Ray 'Butch' Wilkins

The son of an Army footballer, defensive midfielder Wilkins (nicknamed Butch from childhood) made his name in the 1970s with boyhood club Chelsea, whom he joined as an apprentice, progressing to his first team debut against Norwich City in October 1973. He made sporadic further appearances for the rest of that season before establishing himself as a fixture in the side the following year.

In 1975, a 19 year old Wilkins was handed the captaincy of Chelsea, despite the presence of elder and more experienced players in the squad. However, he took to the role well, maintaining it for four years. His brothers Graham and Stephen also joined Chelsea around this time, though did not achieve the same heights in the game as Ray

Wilkins was called up to play for England for the first time in 1976 by coach Don Revie and quickly made his debut against Italy during a mini-tournament in the USA. He was to become a permanent fixture in England squads for a decade to come.

Maligned in some quarters for supposed "negative" play (he was deemed more likely to pass a ball sideways rather than forwards - earning him semi-affectionate nicknames like Squareball Wilkins and The Crab), Wilkins nevertheless became one of his country's most sought-after players and, in August 1979, Chelsea accepted an offer of 800,000 pounds from

Manchester United and Wilkins headed north.
His first season was uneventful, with domestic honours continuing to elude him, but he achieved one of his career highs after helping England qualify for the 1980 European Championships in Italy - the first tournament England had reached for a decade.

During a group game against Belgium, Wilkins scored a memorable goal when he lobbed the whole Belgian defence and, in one movement, latched on to the ball (thereby breaching the Belgians obvious offside trap) and delivered a second lob, this time over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net to put England ahead. The Belgians swiftly equalised though, and a disappointing England failed to make progress from their group.
Wilkins remained a fixture for England through a successful campaign to qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, which England exited at the second group stage.

In 1983, Wilkins scored in the FA Cup final for Manchester United to put them 2-1 up against Brighton and Hove Albion. It was a goal of great quality and also some rarity - it had taken Wilkins three years to get his first United goal.

A Brighton attack broke down and the ball reached United midfielder Arnold Muhren just inside his own half. Wilkins made a run to the right to give Muhren an outlet, and was forced to control the Dutchman's pass on his chest after the slippery Wembley surface caused a bad bounce.

Wilkins finally trapped the ball on the right hand side of the area and instinctively (and, some would say, typically) cut inside to look for a square pass across the 18 yard box. No team-mate had matched his run in time (even though Wilkins was a player with a quick brain rather than quick legs) so Wilkins instead curled a left-foot shot of great accuracy into the top corner of the Brighton net. He was so enthralled that he sprinted to the back of the stadium to celebrate with the United fans - something he immediately regretted as it rendered him exhausted for the rest of the game which ended 2-2 after extra-time. He got his winners' medal after a 4-0 victory in the replay.

Over the next season, Wilkins continued to play for England under new coach Bobby Robson but they failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championships. The same summer, United accepted an offer of 1.5 million pounds from Italian giants A.C. Milan. Though Wilkins and his family settled quickly in Italy, it wasn't a successful era for Milan, and Wilkins was allowed to leave in 1987 to join French outfit Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Wilkins was still an England regular and he was chosen for the squad which qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He played in the opening defeat against Portugal but didn't last the full 90 minutes in the next group game against Morocco after receiving a red card for the first and only time in his career. In disagreeing with a decision made by the referee, Wilkins threw the ball towards the official - but hit him with it. He was suspended for the next two games and was not reinstated by the time the quarter final against Argentina came round, which England lost 2-1. Wilkins made his 84th and final England appearance in November 1986. He had scored three international goals and had been captain on ten occasions.

On leaving Paris after just four months, Wilkins joined Rangers F.C. for 250,000 pounds and won two Scottish league titles and one Scottish League Cup, as well as scoring memorable goal in an Old Firm derby against Celtic F.C. which Rangers fans continue to talk about.
Next stop for Wilkins was QPR after his family decided that a decade away from London was long enough. Wilkins spent four years with QPR before very briefly joining Crystal Palace. He returned to QPR as player-manager just months after he'd left.

Wilkins left QPR at the start of the 1996/97 after the club was bought by media tycoon Chris Wright following the relegation from the FA Premier League. There followed spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Hibernian, Millwall, and Leyton Orient before he finally retired from playing.

In 1997, Wilkins became the manager of Fulham, with former England teammate Kevin Keegan as "Chief Operating Officer" under him. Wilkins managed to take the big-spending side to the Second Division play-offs, but was sacked by chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed before the first game took place after Fulham lost the last three games of the regular season. Kevin Keegan, who replaced Wilkins, failed in his bid to guide the side through he play-offs that season. The two, once close England team-mates, have had frosty relations since.

After leaving Fulham, Wilkins worked as a coach at Chelsea and Watford as a coach under Gianluca Vialli, on both occasions being sacked along with Vialli (in September 2000 and July 2002 respectively). He spent the next year working mainly as a pundit before joining Millwall F.C. as assistant manager to Dennis Wise in October 2003. Wilkins left the club along with Wise in May 2005. He continues to work as a pundit, showing himself to be polite and articulate as well as fiercely knowledgeable.
Wilkins famously provided the voice of the nonplussed pundit ("Super, Ralph") on the ads for the soft drink Tango in the 1990s. The ads were memorable for a large orange man slapping people who were consuming the drink, as if to emphasise the orange flavor. This was later changed from slapping to kissing after complaints from the public. The voice of the over-excited commentator alongside Wilkins was provided by comedian and mimic Hugh Dennis.

[GrodZilla]

Gordon Hill

http://www.thefa.com/NR/rdonlyres/870BAFDD-EB38-482F-9CB7-F5477E700420/0/gordonhill_large.jpg

Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 28/6/1947
Appearances: 132 (1)
Goals Scored: 51


Gordon Hill's goals and unpredictable style of play made him a favourite with United faithful. Defend was simply not a word in his vocabulary, he was an out and out winger and could score goals as well. His 51 goals scored in 132 games is still one of the best ratios for a winger at Old Trafford. Hill played in two F.A. Cup finals, collecting a runners-up medal in 1976 and a winners' medal in 1977. However, in 1978 he was surprisingly sold to Derby by the new manager Dave Sexton, who wanted a less cavalier style of play.

[johno]

Ronny Johnsen

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_football/JOHNSEN_Ronny_19970810_NF_L.jpg

Born
10/6/69 in Sandefjord, Norway


Position: Defender/Midfielder

Height: 191cm

Honors:
Premiership Title 97
Premiership Title 99
FA Cup 99
UEFA Champions League 99
Premiership Title 2000
Premiership Title 2001



Apperances 150
Goals 9

NT Caps 61
goals 2


Johnsen is a terrific center back, but has often been relegated to the training table because of his many injuries. He was purchased by Manchester United from Besiktas of Turkey in 1996. While at United, he helped the club to 4 league titles (1997, 1999, 2000, and 2001), one FA Cup in 1999 and one UEFA Champions League in 1999. He has the rare distinction of also winning four medals in four consecutive appearances with the club. He was on the pitch for the title clincher, FA Cup final, and Champions League final in 1999, and because of injury, the 2000 league title clincher against Tottenham Hotspur.

His versatility in playing at the back or in midfield and his skill on the ball make him much more than a utility player. He established a formidable partnership with Jaap Stam in central defence one which United has failed to better since it was broken up. Johnsen's positional sense and his reading of the game complemented his skill on the ball in such a manner that he was able to play effectively as a central midfielder even though centerback was his usual position in midfield like in defence his well timed tackling and strong aerial game leant stability to a team that was full of dynamic players. A consumate professional, Johnsen was the epitome of no-frills defending and played the game as it should. Were it not for his injury problems there is no doubt that he would have stayed on longer at the club. As it is, his trophy case is quite full and there's no denying that he was a special part of United's success in the late 90's and early part of this decade.

[SirManchester]

http://www.writestuffautographs.com/shop/images/products/football607.jpg

ANDREI KANCHELSKIS

DATE OF BIRTH: 23/1/1969

APPEARANCES: 158

GOALS SCORED: 36

HONOURS WITH UNITED:

LEAGUE TITLE 1993
LEAGUE TITLE 1994
FA CUP 1994

PROFILE:

Kanchelskis undoubtedly had his best times with Manchester United. Once settled in, his thrilling, lightning pace, close control of the ball and goalscoring (top scorer in the 1994-5 with 14 League goals) made the winger popular with the United supporters and a vital member of the United team. He won the League Cup, two Premier League Championship medals in 1993 and 94 and an F.A. Cup winners' medal.

It was therefore strange when in July 1995 he left Old Trafford for Everton in a £5 million deal, a deal linked with rumours of Russian Mafia involvement. After a period at Fiorentina he went on to win two league titles and Scottish FA Cup's with Glasgow Rangers.


courtesy of manutdzone, wikepedia, and fussballdaten.

[Stud83]

Stan Pearson

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4306/stanpearson9lg.jpg

Born: Salford, 11/1/1919

74 kg, 175 cm

Position: AM, LW, Forward, Inside

Appearances with Club: 421

Goals Scored with Club: 201

International Caps: 8 (England)

International Goals: 5

Played for MU: 1937-1953


Stan Pearson was born in Salford on 11th January 1919.

After playing for Adelphi Lads's Club he joined Manchester United as an amateur in December 1935.

In May 1937 he signed as a professional and six months later he made the step up to first team football. However, just as Pearson was establishing himself in the first team, his career was interrupted by the Second World War. During the six years that organised football was suspended, Pearson served with the 2nd/4th Lancashires in the Army. He also managed to make guest appearances for Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Queens Park Rangers.

When League football was resumed in 1946, Stan Pearson continued his footballing career with Manchester United, taking up the position of inside-forward, he soon became one of the best inside-forwards of his day collecting eight England caps - at a time when England had a wealth of inside-forwards to choose from. He also became an important member of the first great United team built by Matt Busby who won the F.A. Cup in 1948 (scoring one in the final and a hat-trick in the semi-final against Derby County) and the League Championship four years later in 1952.

In the post-Second World War period Stan Pearson missed only 13 first team matches in seven seasons from 1946-1953. Apart from consistency Pearson possessed a deadly and accurate shot scoring 201 goals in 421 appearances for Manchester United.
He is 7th on the all-time MU league scoring list with 128 goals. He is 3rd, behind his long-time partner Jack Rowley in all-time MU scoring list in FA Cup games with 21. His goal scoring achievements are even more impressive, considering that he almost never played as a striker - he mostly played as an inside forward, but his versatility allowed him to be used as a winger or even a central midfielder at times.

[benni...]

We Draft:

Charlie Roberts

Charlie Roberts (born April 6, 1883 in Darlington, died August 7, 1939 in Manchester) was an English football player.

Charlie started his career with Bishop Auckland, but soon moved to Grimsby Town. In 1904, he was transferred to Manchester United for £750. Playing as half-back or centre-half he helped the club win the 1908 and 1911 league titles as well as the 1909 FA Cup. He left the club in August 1913 for a then record fee of £1,500 to Oldham Athletic, after appearing in 299 matches and scoring 23 goals for United.

Charlie was capped three times for England.

A Short piece from www.manunited.com:
The following season, 1905/06, was to prove one of the greatest in the early life of Manchester United. The half-back line of [player name removed], [player name removed] and captain Charlie Roberts were instrumental in the side which reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but more importantly finished as runners-up in the Second Division. Twelve years after being relegated, United reclaimed their place in the top flight.



Note: Picture to come as soon as we find one.

[ASUCruz]

Seamus Anthony "Shay" Brennan

http://www.manutdzone.com/atoz/pictures/shaybrennan.jpg

Born: 6 May 1937

Position: RB

Caps:

Republic Of Ireland / 19

Apperances for United

355 Games / 6 Goals

Honours with United

1965-Division One Championship
1967-Division One Championship
1968-European Cup

Profile

Shay Brennan was catapulted into the Manchester United side after the Munich air disaster in 1958.

He cemented his place in Sir Matt Busby's squad and became part of the 1968 European Cup winning team.

The Republic of Ireland player, the first English-born to appear for his country, was capped 19 times.

After leaving Old Trafford, he moved to Ireland to play and manage Waterford.

Brennan was part of the Manchester United set-up from an early age, becoming an apprentice professional after leaving school in 1955.

He was a member of the FA Youth Cup winning side in 1955, but found that he had to adapt to senior football sooner than he had expected following the Munich disaster.

Just two weeks after the plane crash, Brennan made his first senior outing playing against Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

He scored twice from the unfamiliar position of wide-left, but his celebrations were tempered later in the season when he missed out on a place in the FA Cup final.

But the Republic international bounced back playing his accustomed position of full-back, winning two League Championship medals in 1965 and 1967 and then a European Cup winners medal in 1968.

Brennan left Manchester United in 1970 after making 355 appearances and scoring six goals.

He was always a firm favourite with the Old Trafford fans and was awarded two testimonials.

In 1986 a crowd of 10,000 attended a benefit match in Dublin to honour the legend, when Shamrock Rovers played Manchester United.

[Numquam Moribimur]

http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Images/Large/MANFD_ED.JPG





Arthur Albiston
City of Birth
Edinburgh, 14/7/1957
Weight
72.11 kg
Height
170 cm
Position
Full-back
Appearances with Club
485
Goals Scored with Club
7
International Caps
14 (Scotland)


Arthur Albiston was born in Edinburgh in 14th July 1957. His playing career began with Edinburgh and District Schools, after which he signed as a trainee for Manchester United in July 1972, turning professional two years later in July 1974.

He made his first team debut on 9th October 1974 against Manchester City in a League Cup tie, at Old Trafford in front of 55,000 spectators.

His League debut came six days later at Portsmouth in a 0-0 draw. However, it was Albiston's F.A. Cup debut which was more notable than most, as it was made in the 1977 cup final, against Liverpool. He replaced the injured Stewart Houston, who had damaged his ankle two weeks prior to the cup final.

After his impressive display in the cup final, Albiston commanded a regular first team place. He was to play as full-back for United for the next ten years, playing in four cup finals collecting three winners' medals, a club record at the time.

At international level Arthur Albiston represented Scotland at youth and schoolboy level, under-15 and under-21 and won 14 full caps.

He left United in August 1988, on a free transfer, after making 485 appearances scoring 7 goals, to join West Bromwich Albion. After a season at the Hawthorns, Albiston had spells with Dundee, Chesterfield (loan), Chester City and Molde (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's old club).

[Dark Savante]

Ted picks:

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_football/MORAN_Kevin_19830521_GH_L.jpg


Name: Kevin Bernard Moran
Birthdate: 29/04/1956
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 12st 8lbs


Few players have shed more of their own blood on a soccer pitch than Kevin Moran. The fearless, some might say reckless, central defender - surely the owner of the most stitched head in football - served the Red Devils with valiant distinction for an incident packed decade before Alex Ferguson gave him a free transfer, in recognition of his splendid record, and the club doctor could take life a little more easily.
Kevin, a Republic of Ireland stalwart throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, arrived at Old Trafford from Gaelic football in Dublin and took a while to adjust to English soccer. He battled with characteristic committment until Dave Sexton brought him into the first team, sometimes deploying him as a midfield strong man. But Kevin was more effective at the back, where gradually he became established as injuries began to take their toll of Gordon McQueen and Martin Buchan.

His distribution, poor at first, improved over the years though his forte was winning the ball, especially in the air where he made up for a comparative lack of height by his neck-or nothing approach. But his timing was sometimes awry and there were occasions when he was too brave for his own good, which accounted for some of the war wounds.

Despite the tough image, Kevin possessed not a vestige of malice and it is a cruel shame that he should have earned immortal notoriety as the first man to be sent off in an FA Cup Final, against Everton in 1985. TV cameras revealed clearly that he went for the ball and not Peter Reid in the offending tackle, and later he was presented with the winner's medal which was at first withheld. Any other outcome would have unjustly besmirched the honour of an honest and accomplished professionnal.

On leaving Old Trafford as a 32-year-old in the summer of 1988, it seemed likely that the intelligent Dubliner would wind down to retirement from the game and then pick up the reins of a new career. But not a bit of it. After a season in the Spanish sun Kevin resurfaced at Blackburn, harder to beat than ever, to play a major part in Rovers' rousing resurgence