16
ROGER BYRNE
1951–1958Byrne was naturally right-
sided, but his work rate and
footballing intelligence in
terms of positioning was
such that he could play in a
number of different
positions, including wing-
half and outside left. But it
was as a left-back that he
made his name with United – and England. United scout
Joe Armstrong saw something in him, and he was
offered first amateur, and soon after, professional terms.
He had charisma and leadership potential, and the Busby
Babes would follow their team captain wherever he
asked them to go. I n the ensuing seven seasons he
played 245 times for the club. He also played 33
consecutive matches for his country, appearing in every
England fixture from his first call-up against Scotland in
April 1954 to the 4-0 win over France in November 1957.
15
GARY NEVILLE
1992–2011Neville was United through and through,
from his days as a youngster on the terraces
to his one-club professional career with 400
appearances. A tenacious right-back, Neville
was recognised for his hard work and his
professionalism, with his lack of natural flair occasionally
leading observers to overlook his consistency and solid
dependability. He ploughed the furrow up and down the
right flank for years, often giving his friend Beckham
room to manoeuvre. He did the same for England,
winning 85 caps and being described by Ferguson as the
“best English right-back of his generation”. A
commanding presence on and off the pitch, Neville was a
born leader and the sort of player fans of opposing
teams love to hate. It’s a measure of his tactical ability
that a decade after his retirement he is now recognised
as one of the most astute analysts of the game in media.
14
DAVID BECKHAM
1993 –2003Fittingly, Becks sits right in front of Neville,
as he did so many times for United and
England. In more recent times it seems
to have become acceptable to be overly
critical of Beckham – whether for his
fashion sense, celebrity wife or good
looks. But make no mistake, Beckham
was a very serious footballer, a relentless
trainer who supplemented his god-given
skill at striking a dead ball – from corners
and free kicks – with a range of passing
and crossing that had few equals. His
career took off after he scored from his
own half against Wimbledon in August- He earned 115 England caps.
13
ROY KEANE
1993–2005Every top club needs a Keane, a midfield enforcer who
won’t shy away from confrontations and breaks up
opposition attacks by fair means or foul. Keane
certainly wasn’t averse to fouls, and his fierce temper
was never far from erupting, but he was an essential
player for United. Born in a suburb of Cork, Keane
started his career at semi-professional club Cobh
Ramblers before being spotted by Nottingham Forest,
who he represented for three seasons. Upon Forest’s
relegation, Keane activated a break clause in his
contract; he was all set to sign for Blackburn Rovers
until a last-minute swoop by Ferguson saw him go to
Old Trafford for a record £3.75 million. Keane could
never stay away from controversy for long, but his
blood and thunder approach remained popular.THE
STORY OF
MAn UTD