Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 19:45:00 2009
We look at five iconic teams from Sir Alex Ferguson's reign following Manchester United's record-equalling 18th league title.
During his 23 years at Old Trafford, Ferguson has shown a remarkable ability to change his playing personnel without affecting the quality of the team.
These five teams chart the many faces of the Manchester United dressing room during the Ferguson era.
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1989/90 - FA Cup winners
Jim Leighton - Mike Phelan, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Lee Martin - Neil Webb, Paul Ince, Bryan Robson, Danny Wallace - Brian McClair, Mark Hughes
Leighton was dropped for the Cup final replay against Crystal Palace and Les Sealey played a blinder. Supersub Mark Robins scored the goal that supposedly saved Fergie's job, a diving header away to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round. Pallister and Ince were signed in 1989, with Denis Irwin arriving the following summer as Ferguson built the foundations of his first championship-winning side.
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1993/94 - Premier League and FA Cup winners
Peter Schmeichel - Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin - Andrei Kanchelskis, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Ryan Giggs - Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes
Many United fans will still tell you this was the finest team Ferguson has produced. They followed up their 1992/93 Premier League title with a domestic double, inspired by the enigmatic and brilliant Cantona. The pace of Giggs and Kanchelskis down the flanks provided a formidable counter-attacking threat since imitated by many sides. But a 4-0 defeat at Barcelona showed they still had some way to go in Europe.
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1998/99 - Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League winners
Peter Schmeichel - Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen, Jaap Stam, Denis Irwin - David Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs - Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole
Still the greatest season in the club's history, as United claimed the three biggest prizes going. Yorke arrived early in the season and struck an immediate rapport with Cole. The pair scored a combined 53 goals, with reserves Sheringham and Solskjaer firing the most important goals of all in the Champions League final. The midfield quartet - all playing at their peak - have never been surpassed.
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2002/03 - Premier League winners
Fabien Barthez - Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Mikael Silvestre, John O'Shea - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Sebastian Veron, Ryan Giggs - Ruud van Nistelrooy
This was not the most glorious period in United's history, but they still managed to lift the Premier League title. £28 million midfield misfit Veron was sold to Chelsea at the end of the season and Barthez never quite replaced Schmeichel, but Van Nistelrooy's remarkable haul of 44 goals in all competitions helped bring silverware back to Old Trafford. David Beckham ended the season on the bench and was offloaded to Real Madrid.
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2008/09 - Premier League winners, Champions League finalists
Edwin van der Sar - John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra - Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs - Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov
The addition of Berbatov gave United even more depth in attack than in 1998/99. While the Bulgarian has yet to win over the United fans, only three players started more league games, and he weighed in with some hugely important goals. Long-term injuries to Gary Neville, Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves turned O'Shea and Fletcher from bit-part players into key men. The evergreen Giggs was used sparingly but won the PFA Player of the Year award.
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YOO HOO, i say chaps is there a 9 o'clock watershed on here, if some gentleman could enlighten me i would be jolly pleased, what ho.
Fc@kin r@fa is at it again... B@rkin n moanin n groanin... Just like a sore loser that he n loserfool r!!
Some loserfools(more importantly r@fa ) keep b@rkin abt "loserfool bieng better than utd coz they hv more European cups n hv won 18 titles much before utd n hv won more matches than utd n hv lost less than utd....."
I think they need a kick below da belt...
They forgot that UNITED hv twice won EPL 3 years in a row, they forgot that loserfool hv not won anything this season, they forgot that they have NEVER WON THE EPL!!, they forgot that its almost 2 decades since they won da title, they forgot that by beatin utd twice doesn't make em better than us(btw, in that 4-1 game, we played better than em, its just that we were unlucky), they forgot that they hv drawn 11 games(dropped pts against teams that utd hv swept aside) which means 22 pts dropped!!
Moral of the story -losefools r nothin but a bunch of m@r@ns n b@st@rds who keep cryin n moanin after every match!!
Btw, I gotta thank loserfools fr 1 thing - fr tryin the hell out 2 catch utd... That made the title race exciting... Had we beaten u at OT we wouldve been 10 pts ahead with a game in hand!! That would definitely been an end 2 da title race... But coz of u , the win is even sweeter... Btw, Loserpool tears r delicious!!
Utd, next mission is 2 create history by retaining the UCL, n my sincere appeal 2 utd fans, plz do ur best in supporting them, it really helps...
WE BELIEVE!!
GLORY UNITED!! RESPECT & SALUTE THE CHAMPIONS!!
The table does not lie,Man u are the best in the land,my team boro are the second crappest.
What's the only ship that doesn't sail into Liverpool? THE PREMIERSHIP , LOL
LFCool!: Respect for the Giggsy comment la'
WHAN A WAKE OPP WELL A NO IM GOANAY BE IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO WAKES OPP NAXT TAY U. WHAN I GO OOT YEAH I NO IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO GOES ALANG WATH U. AF I GET DRANK WELL I NO IM GOAN TAY BE THA MON HOO GEETS PASHED NAXT TAY YOU . WELL I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MEELS OND I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MAR DO DO DO DO DO DO. 500 MEELS, THA PROCLEEMARS.
WHAN A WAKE OPP WELL A NO IM GOANAY BE IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO WAKES OPP NAXT TAY U. WHAN I GO OOT YEAH I NO IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO GOES ALANG WATH U. AF I GET DRANK WELL I NO IM GOAN TAY BE THA MON HOO GEETS PASHED NAXT TAY YOU . WELL I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MEELS OND I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MAR DO DO DO DO DO DO. 500 MEELS, THA PROCLEEMARS
When I read comments like yours it just makes me wonder if the author really understands football?
Manchester united DO NOT buy titles, that tag belongs to Chelsea (for buying through another mans money not the club itselfs money). Manchester Uniteds buying is from money the club itself generates (self sufficiency) hence we buy players from money made from merchandising sales, big attendances plus all the other factors that contribute, the point is the club although in debt is a successful 'self sufficient' business, our debt is gradually being paid back while we generate enough money to buy new players, its all part and parcel of successful business, its called growth.
When I read comments like yours it just makes me wonder if the author really understands football?
Manchester united DO NOT buy titles, that tag belongs to Chelsea (for buying through another mans money not the club itselfs money). Manchester Uniteds buying is from money the club itself generates (self sufficiency) hence we buy players from money made from merchandising sales, big attendances plus all the other factors that contribute, the point is the club although in debt is a successful 'self sufficient' business, our debt is gradually being paid back while we generate enough money to buy new players, its all part and parcel of successful business, its called growth.
Let's get one thing straight. Ferguson's greatest feat was with Aberdeen. That club with Ferguson was the greatest thing ever achieved by anyone. That team could EASILY that vain bunch today.
Barcelona are on Cruise Control till Rome resting most if not all their starters till the big clash in Rome...And Barcelona is having a better year then Man U....a couple of bumps but they got the points and goals needed to continue for bigger silverware..
One must no be rude on here, but while nobody is looking here goes, poo, there i did, titter titter titter, hope i am not in trouble chaps.
Got some rude messages from manu fans, damn blighters, i told them i would bash them with my polo stick, that saw the scoundrels off, tally ho chaps.
JohnPaulMac, i suggest you do your research on who just how much Benitez has spent since he came in , Torres aside he has bought complete @#$% and then had to sell them again.
Man Utd have been able to buy through their success and the fact they have a ground worthy of the Champions which brings in much needed revenue.
This Utd bought the title is nonsense and sour grapes, get a grip, and NO i am not a Man Utd fan, just sick of Liverpools and Benetizs moaning.
Get a grip you sore losers.
I hope Barcelona have a quite spiffing game, if they win i shall have a small glass of sherry what ho chaps.
I WETCH A TV MOVESAY WAN TEEM WERE A BYE EAT TAY MACH OND HE EXPLOAD
Very naughty Ronaldo
Beastly manu
I say Carruthers dont you just dislike that beastly team manu, they are so naughty on the pitch, makes you want to stamp your foot. Their manager is not a likable chap and they do not play to the rules, just not cricket i would say old bean.
Andy Pandy,
Credit Crunch you are in it DEFICIT NO TROPHIES AGAIN.
NO SINGING SUPPORTERS,JUST GO BACK TO THE MURAL YOU USED TO HAVE.
WENGER WILL BE OFF TO REAL MADRID OR A.C MILAN.
WHAT YOU NEED IS A DECENT BACK FOUR A DECENT MIDFIELD AND STRIKERS.
WENGER WILL GET 99p CHANGE FROM A POUND COIN IF HE COULD.
AL
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