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

Vivian Anderson



Vivian Alexander Anderson MBE (born 29 August 1956 in Nottingham, England) was the first black football player to represent England.

The groundbreaking night for Anderson, a right full back, came on November 29, 1978 when he stepped out at Wembley to play for England against Czechoslovakia. England won 2-1 on a special and important night for the game - though Anderson's own England career would ultimately prove to be a story of being second best.

Anderson had broken into the Nottingham Forest team in 1974 and became a regular after the arrival of Brian Clough as manager two years later. He was part of the side which won promotion to the Football League First Division in 1977, winning the title, along with the League Cup, a year later.

When Anderson received the call-up for England, coach Ron Greenwood was insistent that no political issue was at stake, despite the ever rising number of young black stars in the game, born and raised in England. There was no doubt that Anderson was playing outstandingly in a form team that season and got his call-up entirely on merit. A gangly, awkward figure, he was a much-admired tackler and was also quick going forward and occasionally scored vital goals. Vindication for his selection on merit was further supplied when Anderson was part of the Forest team which retained the League Cup and then clinched the European Cup in 1979 with victory over Malmo.

All that said, Anderson found himself frequently up against equally competent right backs when it came to getting regular international recognition. Liverpool's much-decorated Phil Neal was the first choice right back as the late 1970s became the 1980s, while Leeds United captain Trevor Cherry was also regularly called up. Anderson had to be patient prior to winning his second cap in a friendly against Sweden in June 1979. His third appearance was his first competitive international as England defeated Bulgaria 2-0 at Wembley in a qualifier for the 1980 European Championships.

Anderson continued to impress for Forest during this period, and picked up his second European Cup winners' medal when they retained the trophy with victory over SV Hamburg in Madrid.

England had duly got through to the European Championship finals in Italy and Anderson was named in Greenwood's squad, playing in the final group game against Spain as a replacement for Neal. England won 2-1 but did not progress further. Anderson later made his World Cup debut in a qualifier for the 1982 competition in a 4-0 win over Norway. Essentially the battle was now between Neal and Anderson for the No.2 shirt, but after qualification for the World Cup, neither were suddenly appropriate for the role.

Injury to Kevin Keegan had meant Greenwood needed to call upon an experienced club captain to lead the team out in Spain, so Ipswich Town's skipper Mick Mills, normally a left back, was put in the right back slot (with regular incumbent Kenny Sansom remaining on the left) and both Neal and Anderson missed out. Neal played against Kuwait in the final group game to rest Mills when qualification had already been assured, but Mills returned for the second phase, from which England were eliminated. Anderson, meanwhile, never kicked a ball.

With Forest beginning to fall from grace (the ageing side was breaking up and the 1980 European Cup win was to prove to be their last trophy for nine years), Anderson's England career seemed to be stalling. After the World Cup and Greenwood's departure, he didn't feature at all under new coach Bobby Robson until 1984, with Neal still mainly getting the nod. England failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championships during this period. Anderson finally won an 11th cap, in April 1984, almost two years after his tenth. In the same year, he aimed to revive his career with a move to Arsenal for 220,000 pounds.

This duly helped Anderson revitalise his international standing and he won six consecutive caps from 1984 and into 1985, including four qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico; in the first of which he scored his first of his two international goals in an 8-0 mauling of Turkey. Then Robson gave a debut to the young Everton right back Gary Stevens who was so impressive that Anderson found himself usurped again. Robson split his selection policy, but Stevens got slightly more appearances than Anderson as England completed their qualification for Mexico and though both were in the squad for the finals, it was clear that Anderson was again going as reserve.

Stevens played every minute of England's tournament as a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina disposed of them in the quarter finals. Again, Anderson had travelled to a World Cup without kicking a ball. Though many goalkeepers have often gone through more than one World Cup without seeing any action, it is rare for it to happen to outfield players more than once.

Anderson won three caps at the end of 1986 as England began their quest to qualify for the 1988 European Championships in Germany. In one of the qualifiers against Yugoslavia, Anderson scored his second and final international goal.

In 1987, he enjoyed some club success for the first time in eight years when Arsenal defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the League Cup final. Later the same year, in a 250,000 pound deal, he became the first signing of Alex Ferguson after he took over Manchester United. Arsenal fans bemoaned the deal as manager George Graham had no obvious replacement, spending most of the next season with the inexperienced (and midfield specialist) Michael Thomas in the No.2 shirt, followed by the impossibly left-footed Nigel Winterburn. Anderson was finally replaced at Highbury when Lee Dixon arrived.

Meanwhile, Stevens had forced his way back in as England qualified for the European Championships and Anderson won his 30th and (what proved to be) final cap in a Rous Cup game against Colombia though was again in reserve when the squad went to Germany for the finals. They lost all three group games and Stevens came in for criticism, but maintained his place. For the third time, Anderson had travelled to a major international competition without getting a minute on the pitch. Robson began to look to the younger end of the playing spectrum for competition for Stevens, and Anderson's important international career ended.

Anderson played for United for three years but struggled a little with injuries and was sold to Sheffield Wednesday. He helped them to promotion to the about-to-be-formed Premiership in his first season at Hillsborough, then reached the League Cup and FA Cup finals in 1993 but lost both to his old club Arsenal.

He later became manager of Barnsley but this didn't last too long and his coaching career since has been entirely as part of the team put together by his former Manchester United and England skipper Bryan Robson at Middlesbrough. Anderson was also a player for Middlesbrough, briefly, making his last appearance in 1995. When Robson left in 2001, Anderson departed too, and has not returned to football since.

In 1997, Anderson was given the right back slot by Forest fans who were voting for the club's all time greatest XI. The fact that 96 per cent of the vote went to Anderson suggested that nobody else was ever in the running.

Anderson was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2004 in recognition of his impact on the English league. He remains a keen supporter of the National Football Museum and regularly attends special events at the museum.

 

Billy Wrigglesworth 12/11/1912

(No Picture available)

Nationality: British

Weight: 60.32 kg

Height: 165 cm

Position: OR/OL (Winger)

Appearances: 107

Goals: 34

An extremely small and lightweight wingman, Billy Wrigglesworth was a veritable 'box of tricks', at his best when working his way through a defence by clever dribbling and the use of a very deceptive body swerve. For such a light man, he could deliver a strong shot when the opportunity arose, and his goalscoring ratio was excellent for a wingman.

He began with United in season 1936-7 and scored on his first home appearance, a 1-1 draw against Preston North End.

After World War Two, during which period he guested for several clubs, he returned to United but was almost 34 years old when normal League football resumed in 1946-7.

He made a number of fairly rapid moves after leaving United to join Bolton Wanderers in January 1947.

Ten months later he joined Southampton, and after a stay of eight months at the Dell, he wound up his first-class career with Reading.

A bag of tricks and a cheeky smile Wrigglesworth was... just kidding. A winger in the form of great United wingers: he could beat his man seemingly at will and his desire to beat the next man was only topped by his desire to bang the ball past the keeper or put in a telling cross. He was a small man and not very powerful, but his low center of gravity made him very difficult to disposess and although not a burner by any means, his acceleration was startling and often gave him the advantage over more physical fullbacks. His contributions from the wing helped United earn promotion to the first division in his second season with the team.

 

JESPER OLSEN

DATE OF BIRTH: MARCH 20TH 1961

APPEARANCES: 175
GOALS: 24

HOUNORS WITH UNITED: FA CUP 1985

TIME WITH UNITED: 1984-89

PROFILE:

In the words of one of Manchester soccer's sagest observers, the English game didn't teach much to Jesper Olsen. No one would dispute the diminutive Dane's rich talent but, equalIy, few would realistically describe his stay at Old Trafford as anything but frustrating.
Blind alleys seemed to hold a particular fascination for the £350,000 winger who arrived from Ajax of Amsterdam in July 1984 with a world-class reputation. This had been fuelled by the spectacular goal he scored for Denmark against England in the European Championship in 1982. Reds fans, as ever yearning for a new idol, expected so much and, to be fair, Jesper's first season did not wholly dash their hopes.

On his day he looked as though he had the ability to prise open the most clam-like of defences. Feinting, sprinting, shooting, he carried about him the aura of an exciting player and he completed a promising first campaign by helping United win the FA Cup. But thereafter he was frequently disappointing, drifting in and out of the action, rarely leaving a memorable mark. He seemed to run in the wrong directions, possessing the close control and speed to reach the byline yet choosing instead to make wayward darts across the pitch.

Though he was brave enough, Jesper exerted a markedly lightweight physical presence during the Atkinson regime. He became a more tenacious all-round performer under Alex Ferguson but he suffered injuries and it grew steadily more obvious that his style was not suited to the perpetual motion of English soccer. It was no surprise when he returned to the Continent in November 1988, a ¤400,000 fee taking him to Bordeaux, where many believed he would rise to heights never scaled in this country. In fact, it never happened; his most effective days had proved to be earlier in his career. How sad that Manchester United never saw the best of Jesper Olsen. However many United fans consider him a legend for all the small doses of brilliance they witnessed from him in a very bitter period in United history

courtesy of wikipedia and redcafe

 

Alec Bell


City of Birth: Cape Town, South Africa, 1882

Weight 74.38 kg

Height: 178 cm

Position: CD

Appearances with Club: 309

Goals Scored with Club: 10

International Caps: 1 (Scotland)


Alec Bell was born in Cape Town, South Africa, of Scottish parents, in 1882.
He joined United in January 1903, after spells with Ayr Spring Vale, Ayr Westerlea and Ayr Parkhouse. He was originally signed as a centre-forward but was quickly moved to half-back.
During his time at United he formed part of the famous half-back line of Duckworth, Roberts and Bell. Much of the success at the club - two League Championships in 1908 and 1911 and the FA Cup in 1909 - was down to this half-back line, who formed the backbone of the side. Whilst at United he was capped once by Scotland in March 1912.

In 1913 Blackburn Rovers paid £1,000 for Alec Bell's services, after he had made 306 appearances and scored 10 goals for United. In his first season at Ewood Park he helped Blackburn win the League Championship.

After World War One, Bell became a trainer at Coventry City before moving to Manchester City as a trainer in 1925. He stayed at Maine Road until his death in 1934.

 

Edwin Van Der Saar



Edwin van der Sar (born October 29, 1970 in Voorhout, Netherlands) is a Dutch football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Manchester United in the English Premier League.

Van der Sar began his career at FC Foreholte (Voorhout's local football team), then moving to VV Noordwijk, where he was spotted for Ajax. For Ajax he was part of the team who won the UEFA Champions League in 1995. He went on to play for Juventus, and then in 2001 he moved to the English Premiership with Fulham. On June 5, 2005 he moved Premiership club Manchester United in a transfer for an estimated sum in the region of 2 million pounds, signing a two year deal. The exact amount involved in the transfer was undisclosed.

Van der Sar made his international debut in June 1995 against Belarus. He was the in goal during all of three of their recent defeats on penalties in major competitions: in Euro 96, the 1998 World Cup, and Euro 2000.

In Euro 2004, during the penalty shootout at the end of the quarterfinal against Sweden, van der Sar saved a penalty from Olof Mellberg, giving Arjen Robben the decisive chance to end the shootout in the Dutch team's first shootout win ever.

Edwin van der Sar has represented the Dutch national team 105 times and following Holland's qualification for the 2006 World Cup he could well break Frank de Boer's Dutch record of 112 caps

 

Joe Jordan




Born: 15 December 1951

Position: Striker

Caps:

Scotland / 52 / 11 Goals

Apperances for United

126 / 43 Goals

Profile

Joe Jordan was born in Carluke, Lanarkshire on 15th December 1951.

After playing for Blantyre Victoria and Morton, he was recommended to Leeds United by their former captain, Bobby Collins. He signed for Leeds in October 1970 for a modest fee of £15,000.

At Leeds he won a Championship medal in 1974 and played in two European Cup finals in 1973 and 1975. In 1978 United paid £388,888 for Jordan's services - a record signing fee at the time.

As a player he was tall and strong, this coupled with bravery, skill and good aerial ability made him a fearsome forward who defenders found difficult to contain. Whilst at Old Trafford he made a total of 125 appearances and scored 41 goals.

He left Manchester United in 1981 to join Italian giants AC Milan for £325,000. After Milan he joined Verona before returning to Britain to play for Southampton and Bristol City.

After retiring from playing Jordan took up managerial posts at Bristol City (twice), Heart of Midlothian and was assistant-manager at Celtic. He is now part of Lawrie McMenamy's coaching team for the Northern Ireland national team and a pundit for Channel Four's 'Football Italia'.

He was a full international for Scotland representing his country 52 times. He scored the goal which took Scotland to the World Cup finals, for the first time in 16 years in 1974. He also gained international honours at under-23 level.

 

Lee Martin




City of Birth Hyde, Cheshire, 5/2/1968
Weight 74.38 kg
Height 180 cm
Position Defender
Appearances with Club 109
Goals Scored with Club 2

Lee Martin's place in United's history was ensured when he scored the crisply struck goal that won the FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace in May 1990. It was United's seventh FA Cup win, a record shared by Aston Villa.

His Wembley success ended a highly successful season for the 22 year-old England Under-21 international defender who had first been associated with United ten years earlier, when he trained at Old Trafford along with other 12 year old hopefuls. At 14 he represented Tameside Schoolboys as a midfield player, and became a YTS trainee at Old Trafford at 17.

A versatile and adaptable defender, able to operate on either flank or in a central role if required, he showed useful aerial ability and considerable ball skills during extended spells in the side during 1988-89 and 1989-90.

However, the continued influx of expensive new talent into the Reds' ranks under Alex Ferguson caused Lee Martin to fade from the first team scene and in January 1994, surplus to requirements, he joined Celtic, then managed by former United favourite Lou Macari.

United were reported to have asked £500,000 for his transfer, but in March a tribunal ordered the Parkhead club to pay £350,000.

A back injury and subsequent operation was followed by a close season move to Bristol Rovers in 1996. Forced to retire at the end of 1997-98 season after further back problems Lee Martin has since embarked on a physiotherapy course in Bristol.

 

Stuart Pearson



DATE OF BIRTH : Tuesday, 21st June 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH : Hull, Humberside, England
DEBUT : Saturday, 17th August 1974 in a 2-0 win at Orient (Aged: 25)
APPEARANCES : 179
GOALS: 66


The upraised fist, the infectious, boyish grin - they said it all. Stuart Pearson had struck again. There was no more joyful sight for Manchester United fans in the second half of the 1970s when 'Pancho' - so named after an earlier Old Trafford Pearson, Mark - was rampant.
Stuart arrived from Hull City in a £200,000 deal after United were relegated in 1973/74. His first task was to inject punch into a hitherto rather feeble attack and this he did to the tune of 17 goals as the Red Devils surged to the Second Division title. Many of his strikes during that helter-skelter campaign - notably a superbly placed drive in the crucial home clash with promotion rivals Sunderland - remain vivid in the memory.

But there was much more to his game than scoring. He was primarily a target man and every team-mate, from Alex Stepney through to Gordon Hill, knew that Stuart was always available to receive a pass. When he did get the ball his first touch was usually immaculate, either a subtle first- time lay-off or a deft piece of control. Then, belying that characteristic knock-kneed gait, there was searing pace to take him past defenders, and - although his finishing could be unreliable - his fierce shot brought many a spectacular goal. The England man's quicksilver mobility made him difficult to mark and, together with the equally elusive Jimmy Greenhoff, he presented a confusing, ever-changing set of problems which stretched most defenders.

He has been called injury-prone and that has always rankled. He did miss almost all of 1978/79 after a knee operation, but for four years before that it was unusual for his name to be absent from the team sheet. Stuart regained fitness but was not satisfied with the one-year contract offered by Tommy Docherty and in September 1979 he moved to West Ham for £220,000. Within eight months he had pocketed an FA Cup winner's medal to add to the one he had gained with United against Liverpool in 1977, when he had embellished a bright personal performance with a sharply- taken opening goal.

In 1986 Stuart became boss of non-League Northwich Victoria, then proved he could still muster a clean pair of heels with a spell on the wing for Sale Rugby Club. Thereafter he returned to the Football League, coaching with West Bromwich Albion before serving as Frank Stapleton's assistant manager at Bradford City. Until the pair of them were dismissed, rather surprisingly, in the spring of 1994, aspiring young strikers at the Valley Parade could hardly have asked for more eminent role models.

But it is with the Reds Devils that he name of Stuart Pearson will remain most closely associated. When he bade farewell to Old Trafford, 'Pancho' left behind him the lasting affection of the fans and exhilarating memories of a centre-forward who played the game with dash.

 

John Gidman



PROFILE

Name: John Gidman
Birthdate:10/01/1954
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 12st 6lbs
Transferred from: Everton, £450,000,
Previous clubs: Aston Villa, Everton
Full International: England
Debut for Manchester United: 29/08/1981 v Coventry City (A) 1-2 (League Division One)
Farewell to United: Transferred to Manchester City, 08/1986, £Free
Total Appearances: 118
Total Goals: 4

Having been released by Liverpool , the city of his birth, Gidman was snapped up by Aston Villa, at the time a third division club. He stayed with the club as they worked their way back into the first division but without ever truly establishing himself, the injuries that were to plague his career and the dependable experience of John Robson standing in his way.

By 1977, however, John Gidman was enjoying a spell free of injury and had claimed the Villa number two shirt as his own. Now his flambouyant, attacking style really began to flourish.

At this time the England right back spot was also up for grabs with Qpr 's Dave Clement coming to the end of his run in the side. To many Gidman was his natural successor, quick across the ground and into the tackle but decidedly the ball player the international stage seemed made for this defender whose confidence could border on the arrogant.

In March 1977 Gidman seemed truly to have arrived. Firstly he appeared at Wembley for Villa in the League Cup final against Everton , a tie that would require two replays before Villa finally prevailed in a five goal thriller at Old Trafford. Sandwiched in between these games Gidman was also handed his international debut, again at Wembley, in a World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg which was won comfortably by five goals to nil.

In a game that was generally attack versus defence Gidman had shown up well with his buccaneering runs down the flank and was heavily involved in the first goal. Despite this, however, Gidman would never play for his country again, Phil Neal becoming the preferred choice. Perhaps more dependable it remains disappointing to count 50 caps against Neal's name and only one to Gidman's.

At the start of the 1979 season Gidman left Villa Park in a £650,000 deal which took him back to Merseyside to play for Everton.

Goodison Park was in something of an upheaval at this time as manager Gordon Lee shuffled his pack in a vain attempt to find a winning formula. The FA Cup promised some hope but defeats in the semi finals one year and the quarters the next spelled the end at Goodison Park for Lee and, as it transpired, Gidman.

Evidently not wanted by Everton's new boss Howard Kendall, Gidman's flair was sought by another manager at a new club, Ron Atkinson. Gidman became Atkinson's first signing for Man United when he moved to Old Trafford in an exchange deal, valued at £450,000, that saw Micky Thomas move to Goodison.

United had a decent first season under Atkinson, finishing third, and Gidman was excellent, his style of play perfectly suited to the tastes of his new manager and the vast Old Trafford crowds brought up on exciting, attacking football. Virtually ever present in this first season it seemed as though Gidman's career was ready for a new lease of life but it was now that a series of debilitating injuries really began to wreak havoc with his game and his appearances became increasingly sporadic during his time at Old Trafford.

There was one highlight remaining for Gidman, however, in the shape of the 1985 FA Cup final when he helped a ten man United defeat his former club Everton through Norman Whiteside's extra time goal.

In 1986 Gidman moved across Manchester to play for City but, despite remaining reasonably injury free during his two seasons there, his time at Maine Road was not a happy one with the club suffering relegation to the second division.

Following this Gidman's career concluded with brief spells at Stoke City and Darlington, another unhappy time as his final league club suffered relegation from the fourth division into the conference.

Though a defender, Gidman always played the game with a great sense of adventure, skill and fun.

Courtesy of Encyclopaedia Manchester United and football-england.co.uk

 

Raimond Van der Gouw



PROFILE

Nationality: Netherlands
Date of Birth: 24/3/1963
Appearances: 46 (12)
Clean sheets: 15

Sir Alex Ferguson brought the big Dutchman to Old Trafford in July 1996 as a back-up for Peter Schmeichel. United were lucky to have a quality keeper who did not mind playing only a handful of games a season. Whenever he was needed, he never let the team down, reliable, confident and were it not for his age he would have been first choice No 1. As well as being a first team player he was also involved in coaching United's reserve and youth goalkeepers. Raimond won European Cup and FA Cup winners medals in 1999 and Championship winners medals in 2000 and 2001. Aged 38, he was released on a free-transfer in May 2001.

Courtesy of manutdzone.com

 

Jimmy Nicholl



POSITION:Right Back
DATE OF BIRTH: Friday, 28th December 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
DEBUT: Saturday, 5th April 1975 in a 1-0 win at Southampton (Aged: 18)
Appearances: 247
Goals: 5

Jimmy Nicholl was born in Canada of Irish parents on 28 February 1956.

His parents returned to Northern Ireland when Jimmy was still young. After playing for Belfast Central Schools he joined Manchester United as an amateur on leaving school.

His favoured position in the youth team was midfield, however he was quickly converted to full-back, where he settled for the rest of his career.

n the 1975-76 season he broke into the first team and made the right-back slot his own the following season.

Whilst at Manchester United he appeared in two F.A. Cup finals in 1977 and 1979, collecting a winners' medal in the 1977 final when United beat Liverpool 2-1.

He also made his international debut whilst at Manchester United.

It looked as though Nicholl, who was a popular player at Old Trafford would stay with United for the rest of his career. However, when Ron Atkinson took over from Dave Sexton in 1981 he began to clear out certain players, unfortunately Nicholl was one. After making 248 appearances and scoring 6 goals, Nicholl spent a loan spell with Sunderland before moving to Canada to play for the Toronto Blizzards.

In July 1986 he took up his first coaching post with Rangers as player-coach to the reserve team. He had a considerable amount of success with Rangers winning the League Championship and the League (Skol) Cup.In November 1990 he joined Kirkcaldy based club, Raith Rovers, as player-manager where he successfully guided them into the Scottish Premier League in 1993. At this time he was also the assistant-manager of Northern Ireland - a post which he resigned from in 1993.

He has since had a brief spell as manager of Millwall.

 

Mickey Thomas


Mickey Thomas
D.O.B. 7/7/54
City of Birth Mochdre, nr. Colwyn Bay
Weight 66.21 kg
Height 168 cm
Position Midfield
Appearances with Club 109 (1978-1981)
Goals Scored with Club 15
International Caps 51 (Wales)
International Goals 4

One of Wrexham's best home produced players, Mickey Thomas made his League debut at 17 and won the first eleven of his 51 Welsh caps whilst at the Racecourse.

He won a Third Division championship medal in season 1977-8 and in November of the following season United boss Dave Sexton paid £333,333 to bring him to Old Trafford.

He appeared in the FA Cup final against Arsenal at the end of his first season and although finishing on the losing side, was praised for a typically tenacious all-action display on the left wing.

As successor to the crowd-pleasing Gordon Hill in United's number eleven shirt, Thomas lacked the sparkling skills and explosive shooting power of his predecessor but his work rate was in a totally different league.

He provided the necessary width and variety to the attack even though he was really a midfielder making a brave fist of it as a makeshift winger who was happy to try his utmost and run his heart out for the team.

To Mickey's credit he succeeded, and his all-round game also improved under Sexton's watchful eye, but it was not to last.

The arrival of Ron Atkinson as United's manager in the summer of 1981 rapidly coincided with Thomas's departure to Everton in a £450,000 exchange deal with John Gidman.

The volatile Welshman lasted only three months at Goodison, refusing to play in Everton's Reserve team and moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported £350,000 fee. Subsequently he enjoyed a good first season with Stoke City who had paid £200,000 for his services, but then moved on again for a cut-price £75,000 to join his former Wrexham boss John Neal, at Chelsea in January 1984.

Still at times a cocky, outspoken Welsh firebrand, Mickey had not lost his competitive edge and won a Second Division Championship medal in his first season, his arrival coinciding with an unbeaten run of 17 matches which swept the Pensioners into Division One.

His wandering career eventually came full circle when he returned to Wrexham on a free transfer in August 1991 at 37 years of age.

Far from finished, he starred in Wrexham's FA Cup adventure in which his stunning free kick in the third round tie against reigning League champions Arsenal on 4th January 1992 levelled the scores and set the Fourth Division side on their way to a memorable 2-1 victory.

In the summer of 1992 Mickey Thomas was the victim of a vicious domestic stabbing incident that made lurid newspaper headlines and worse followed in 1993 when he was sentenced to jail for his part in a counterfeit bank-note racket.

 

Mal Donaghy


Born: 14 September 1957

Position: CB

Caps:

Northern Ireland/ 91

Apperances for United

98 / 0 goals

Profile

Malachy Martin Donaghy, (born 13 September 1957 in Belfast) was a Northern Irish football player. Donaghy started his career at Luton Town before transferring to Manchester United in 1988. He later played for Luton on loan again and was later sold to Chelsea F.C.

The current Northern Ireland Under-19 coach, originally from West Belfast, amazingly began his football career as a goalkeeper with little known Down and Connor League side St.Agnes, before moving on to play as an outfield player for works team Post Office Social Club.

After barely six months, he was on the move again, this time joining Amateur League side Cromac Albion, where his blossoming talent was spotted by then Larne boss Brian Halliday.

Donaghy's rapid rise in the game continued when after just 20 matches with the Inver Park club he was transferred to Luton Town in June 1978 for a fee of £20,000.

The first of his 91 caps came in May 1980 at Windsor Park in the 1-0 Home International Championship victory over Scotland. He further enhanced his reputation during the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals. In the former tournament, he played in four of Northern Ireland's five games. He was harshly sent off after 60 minutes of the famous 1-0 win over Spain in Valencia, for the offence of shoving Spain's José Antonio Camacho, but returned for Northern Ireland's final match, the 4-1 defeat by France in madrid.

After ten years of sterling service at Kenilworth Road, he earned a £650,000 move to his boyhood heroes Manchester United in October 1988. It was at the time a big risk for Alex Ferguson to pay out a large sum of money for a player who was then past 30, but Donaghy repaid the United manager’s faith in him with some consistent performances in not only his favoured central defensive position but also as a full-back.

His next move was in August 1992 when, just a month short of his 35th birthday, Chelsea paid £100,000 for his services. Donaghy called time on his club career at the end of the 1993/94 season and after 14 years on the international stage; he made his final appearance for Northern Ireland against Mexico in Miami in June 1994, at the ripe old age of 36.

Shortly after his playing career ended, Donaghy returned to the province with his family and after a brief spell as manger at Newry Town, he had stints as a coach with Cliftonville and as a Youth Development Officer back on his home patch with Donegal Celtic. In 2000, he was appointed to his present position as coach for the Northern Ireland Under-19 team.

 

Karel Poborský (born March 30, 1972 in Třeboň) is a Czech footballer, who is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team.

On 18 August 2004, he became the first Czech to reach 100 appearances in a scoreless draw against Greece in Prague. His international career has spanned the entire modern history of the Czech Republic team, as he earned his first cap in the Czech Republic's first match as a separate entity from the former Czechoslovakia, a 4-1 win over Turkey on February 23, 1994.

In Euro 96, the highly skillful lob shot in semi-final grows his reputation.

Poborský has played for Slavia Prague, Manchester United, Benfica, Lazio, AC Sparta Prague and currently plays for SK České Budějovice. He played for his country at Euro 96, Euro 2000, and Euro 2004.

He is a difficult player to contain because he likes to run with the ball at his feet and will be looking to provide decent crosses for his strikers.

 

Alan Smith



Born: October 20, 1980
Birthplace: Rothwell, Leeds
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 10.6

Yorkshire-born Alan Smith made his emotive transfer accross the Pennines from Leeds to Manchester United on 26 May 2004.

There was, of course, the expected vitriol directed at Smith from Leeds fans after such a sensitive switch of allegiances. And some United supporters needed convincing, too.

But Smith, with Sir Alex Ferguson impressed by every aspect of his character since joining United, has proved his commitment to the club with his performances - just as he promised on the day he signed.

"Hopefully I can win the fans over by scoring goals and through my performances on the pitch," Smith said.

He added: "I've always wanted to do the best I can and be a winner. I think coming into a team like this, which needs winners in it, is great and hopefully I can be a winner as well."

Two fantastic goals early in his Reds career - a crisp strike in the Community Shield against Arsenal and a superb volley against Norwich in the Premiership - helped his acceptance among United's support, and Alan went on to become a fans' favourite in helping himself to ten goals in his debut season at Old Trafford.

But it is the gritty determination he displays - a trait which Ferguson highlighted was admired and adored in the likes of Roy Keane, Bryan Robson and most similarly, Mark Hughes, down the years at Old Trafford - that has helped him pass the tough initiation test of loyalty likely to be handed to any player signing from such a fierce rival.

Smith began his career at his home-town club Leeds. He has tended to make an impact in most things he has achieved as a player. Scoring with his first touch of his Leeds debut, aged just 18, against Liverpool in front of the Kop at Anfield was simply an early indication of that.

Smith has been capped at England level, making his international debut on 25 May 2001 in a 4-0 win over Mexico. His first international goal came in a 1-1 draw with Portugal in September 2002.

 

BRIAN KIDD

DATE OF BIRTH: 29/05/1949

APPEARANCES: 264
GOALS: 70



Brian Kidd signed for Manchester United as an Associate Schoolboy in December 1963, became an apprentice in August 1964 and turned professional in June 1966. He made his debut in the Charity Shield against Tottenham Hotspur on 12th August 1967 in a 3-3 draw, with his league debut coming a week later in the opening fixture of the season against Everton at Goodison Park. Kidd's first goal came in his fifth appearance, a 3-1 away win against West Ham. He went on to score an impressive 17 goals in his first season and played in 50 of United's 54 games. They finished second in the league having lost on the final day of the season to Sunderland, however, glory was to follow in the European Cup Final later the same month as United beat Benfica 4-1 in extra time at Wembley. Kidd scored the third with a header. The following season was a struggle as United attempted to repeat their success of the previous season and Brian suffered equally, with only 4 goals. Though he regained his scoring touch the following year, the successful side of the 60s began to disband. Having survived relegation in 1972/73, Kidd could do nothing to prevent that fate befalling the club in the following season, only playing in one of the final 13 games. As United contemplated life in the Second Division, Arsenal came in with an offer of £110, 000 for Brian and he joined the Londoners in the close season. His final goal came in September 1973 when, as with his debut goal, he scored in a 3-1 win against West Ham. During his time at the club, Kidd played under four different managers. He scored 69 goals in 272 appearances with the one at Wembley on 29th May 1968 putting him in United folklore forever.

courtesy of sporting-heroes and manutdzone

 

I select.

Ian Graves



Honors: League Championship Medal, FA Cup runners up medal

Appearances: 75 (1954-1959)

Position: Right (n) Fullback

Height: 183cm

Rejected by Oldham Athletic after trials when a teenager, Ian Greaves eventually joined the Latics at the twilight of his successful playing career.

A tall, fair-haired full-back, Greaves tackled well and was a fine purveyor of the studied ball out of defence.

He had his first extended run in United's team at right-back during the closing stages of season 1955-6, when he replaced the injured Bill Foulkes with great aplomb and ten wins and four draws clinched the League championship.

He also appeared in the 1958 FA Cup final, shortly after the Munich disaster, collecting a runners-up medal at left-back as Bolton Wanderers won by 2-0. After leaving Old Trafford he had spells with Lincoln City and Oldham before taking his first steps into what proved to be a very successful career in management.

He won the Second Division championship with both Huddersfield Town (in 1969-70) and Bolton Wanderers (in 1977-8), and also took Mansfield Town to promotion from Division Four in 1985-6. He guided the Stags to Wembley in May 1987, when they won the Freight Rover Trophy final against Bristol City.

manutd.com


A steady player who was adept on both sides of the ball Greaves fell victim initially to being in a team full of talent. However, when he was given the chance to play at Rightback and also infrequently at leftback, he rarely dissapointed.

 

I pick Fred Erentz...

Will update bio and picture if I ever manage to find anything worthwhile...

 

<pic to follow whenever one is located>

Name: Maurice Edgar Setters
Birthdate: 16/12/1936
Birthplace: Honiton, Devon, England
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 12st 10lbs
Position: HB
Appearances: 194
Goals: 14

Maurice Setters was born in Honiton, Devon on 16th December 1936. He was first spotted as a youngster by Exeter City, after playing schoolboy football for Honiton & Cullompton. In January 1955 he signed for West Bromwich Albion for £3,000. After spending five years with West Brom he was transferred to Manchester United for £30,000.

With United, Setters won a F.A. Cup winners' medal in 1963. The following year he lost his place in the side to the more skilful Nobby Stiles. After making 194 appearances for United, scoring 13 goals, Setters moved to Stoke City for £30,000. By the end of his career he had made 434 League appearances and more than 500 first team matches for his various clubs. In addition to this he was capped by England at youth and under-23 levels.

After retiring from playing Setters took up management with Doncaster Rovers and later coaching with Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday and with much success the Republic of Ireland, assisting Jack Charlton to two World Cup Finals (1990 and 1994). [manutd.com]

 

Name: Fabian Barthez
Birth: 28/6/71 (Lavelanet, France)
Weight: 76.19 kg
Height: 183 cm
Position: Goalkeeper

The son of a top-class rugby player, Fabien Barthez started his career in professional football with Toulouse FC, playing for them from 1989 to 1992. He then joined Olympique Marseille, and won the European Cup at the end of his first season, 1992/93. The acrobatic goalkeeper won his first senior cap with France on 26 May 1994, in a 1-0 friendly win over Australia. In 1995 Fabien joined AS Monaco, and helped them to win the French League Championship in 1997. In the following season, Barthez and Monaco knocked United out of the UEFA Champions League. The sides drew 0-0 in Monte Carlo and then 1-1 at Old Trafford to send the French side through on away goals.

In the summer of 1998, Barthez claimed the greatest prize of all, a World Cup winners' medal. The goalkeeper was instrumental in France's triumph on home soil, conceding only two goals in the final tournament. He then won a second League Championship with AS Monaco in 1999/2000, but this was to be his last medal in France. On 31 May 2000, United confirmed they had signed Fabien for £7.8 million, a British record fee for a goalkeeper. The previous record, £4.5 million for Taibi, had also been set by United, nine months previously.

Fabien was a United player when he helped France to win the European Championships on 2 July 2000. He played in all but one of their Euro 2000 matches, making some crucial saves. France's 2-1 win over Italy in the final gave Fabien and his team-mates the distinction of being World and European Champions at the same time. Fabien's next challenge, to win the Premiership in England, was duly accomplished towards the end of his first season with United, 2000/01. It was a season in which he excelled between the posts, to easily become the most popular successor to Peter Schmeichel.

Only five teams put more than one goal past Fabien during his first term at United - Chelsea (Charity Shield), West Ham, Anderlecht, Liverpool and Bayern Munich. No opposition team scored more than two against him.

"He (Fabien) is an extra-terrestrial, and better now than he ever was back in France," appraised Mikael Silvestre.

Midway through the 2000/01 season, Fabien was voted the World's Best Goalkeeper by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, an award previously won by Schmeichel. Barthez played every minute of France's disastrous defence of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea as the French, many pundits' tips to hold onto the trophy, crashed out at the group stage after defeats to Senegal and Denmark and a draw against Diego Forlan's Uruguay. Fabien flatly refused to retire from international football following the setback, however, despite many of his contemporaries hanging up their boots.

As well as continuing on the international stage, Barthez had his best season for United in 2002/03 as the Reds came back from the dead to overtake Arsenal in the closing weeks of the term. Nine clean sheets from 30 Premiership starts mean that, while he's not the tallest of keepers, he is amongst the best in the world.

International stats correct at 11/09/03. [manutd.com]

 

Ashley Grimes, LB. Will add info after college.

 

Completing my Team is: Jesper Blomqvist



Hopefully a mod can help me to add a bio when I get home as I don't have time right now but i don't want to hold up the draft on the final lap.