22. John O'Shea

keys: manchester united, John O'Shea, Midfielder, John O'Shea profile, John O'Shea photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	30 Apr 1981
Birthplace:	Waterford, Ireland
Position:	Defender/Midfielder
Appearances:	269
Joined United:
United Debut:	13 Oct 1999 v Aston Villa (A)
International	Rep of Ireland

Match-winning striker, full-back, midfielder, even goalkeeper – United’s utility player has done it all.

A shining example of selflessness and professionalism, John O’Shea has been ever-willing in his service of United. Whether coming on from the bench or in the starting line-up, he is ready for the fight from the second his boots touch the turf.

In his first full season, 2002/03, O’Shea was an absolute revelation at left-back: galumphing up and down the wing, effortlessly picking the pockets of opponents who ran at him, cheekily nutmegging those who tried to stop him – most notably Luis Figo –

he was one of the star men as United regained the Premiership.

Sadly, as so often happens with young stars in their second season, O’Shea’s gradient levelled off throughout 2003/04. And when United bought Gaby Heinze in the summer of 2004, he had to look to other positions than left-back for regular action. Thankfully, O’Shea has the tools to play pretty much anywhere. He was always a footballing defender, blessed with beautiful balance, crisp passing and formidable upper-body strength, and that enabled him to slip into midfield as well as anywhere across the back four.

In 2004/05 he played in all those positions, and in the following season he began to establish himself in the holding role in midfield – forming an unlikely but extremely effective partnership with Ryan Giggs that was the basis of United’s late-season surge. The Irish international continued where he'd left off at the start of the 2006/07 campaign, but soon saw his chances limited by the burgeoning midfield partnership between Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.

He still went on to make 49 appearances (including a cameo between the posts at White Hart Lane when Edwin van der Sar suffered a broken nose) and chipped in with five goals, the most

memorable of which came at Anfield in March 2007. Pepe Reina could only parry Cristiano Ronaldo's injury-time free kick and the ball fell to substitute O'Shea who coolly swept it home in front of the Kop to the delight of United fans everywhere.

He netted another crucial strike at Goodison Park a month later, stabbing home the Reds' first goal after Iain Turner had spilled Ryan Giggs' corner. United, of course, went on to seal a thrilling 4-2 victory and eventually their ninth Premiership title. O'Shea signed a three year contract extension in November 2007 which will keep him at the club until June 2012.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

18. Paul Scholes

keys: manchester united, Paul Scholes, Midfielder, Paul Scholes profile, Paul Scholes photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	16 Nov 1974
Birthplace:	Salford, England
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	548
Joined United:	08 Jul 1991
United Debut:	21 Sep 1994 v Port Vale (A)
International	England

You must have a rare and special football talent to impress the great Bobby Charlton. The United legend sums up Paul Scholes perfectly: "He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch."

Part of the new wave of talent that ushered in Beckham, Giggs, Butt and the Neville brothers in the mid-1990s, Salford-born Scholes scored twice on his debut in the League Cup at Port Vale in 1994/95 – and on his first league outing against Ipswich – and hasn't looked back.

A host of golden seasons at Old Trafford include 1995/96’s Double-winning campaign, in which

he covered admirably during Eric Cantona’s suspension, finishing second behind the Frenchman in the scoring charts with 14 goals; he was a cornerstone of 1999’s Treble-winners, although suspension ruled him out of the Champions League final, and in United’s Premiership success in 2003, his 20-goal haul was vital.

Neat and compact, a misplaced Scholes pass remains one of the rarest sights in football. His superb eye for goal and late runs from midfield also served his country superbly on 66 occasions.

An eye problem kept the man the fans dubbed the 'Ginger Prince’ out of action for a large part of 2005/06, but he burst back onto the scene during the 2006/07 title-winning campaign, playing a key role in helping the Reds reclaim the Premiership crown. Personal highlights included his opener in the 2-0 win over Liverpool in October 2006 and a volley of the highest calibre in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa two months later, which earned him the Goal of the Season Award at the club's Player Awards ceremony.

His contribution was recognised by players and press alike - he finished third in the PFA Player of the Year category and fourth in the Football Writers' vote - both of which were won by team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.


Now in the top seven highest ever appearance makers and the top twelve highest goalscorers at the club, Scholes is, indisputably, one of the finest talents in United's history.


reference: http://www.manutd.com

16. Michael Carrick

keys: manchester united, Michael Carrick, Midfielder, Michael Carrick profile, Michael Carrick photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	28 Jul 1981
Birthplace:	Wallsend, North Shields
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	70
Joined United:	31 Aug 2006
United Debut:	23 Aug 2006 v Charlton (A)
International	England

With outstanding vision, quick feet and a broad-ranging repertoire of passes, Michael Carrick proved in his first season at United to be an ideal partner for Paul Scholes, albeit a very different one to the previous number 16, Roy Keane.

Contrary to the usual central midfield blend of crafter and grafter, Carrick and Scholes' playmaking talents were key to the free-flowing football which won a ninth Premiership title for United.

It was the first major honour of Carrick’s professional career, although he did win the FA Youth Cup with West Ham in 1999, scoring twice in the 9-0 final

demolition of Coventry City.

West Ham loaned Carrick out to Swindon in 1999/2000 and then Birmingham in 2000/01 when he earned a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year, eventually won by Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.

Carrick spent much of the 2002/03 season sidelined with injury. West Ham were relegated at the end of it but rather than join Joe Cole, Fredi Kanoute and Jermain Defoe in an exodus, Carrick stayed for a season in the Championship. However, after losing the 2004 play-off final to Crystal Palace, Carrick decided he couldn't wait another year for a return to the Premiership and moved across London to join Tottenham Hotspur in a transfer worth £2.75million.

He blossomed into an accomplished midfielder in two seasons at White Hart Lane. However, he only scored two goals in 64 games and it seemed this low strike-rate would continue at United, at least for the first few months following his £14million transfer (this fee could eventually rise to £18.6million).

Encouraged by Sir Alex Ferguson to push forward, Carrick eventually weighed in with six strikes from midfield in 2006/07. His first was a well-taken half-volley against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on 13 January 2007;

his second, at home to Reading in the FA Cup, was shortlisted for the club's Goal of the Season award (won by Scholes away to Villa). His other goals included two against Roma in the fairytale 7-1 win.

Carrick's role in a title-winning midfield should help his international ambitions, as he competes with Owen Hargreaves, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard for a place in England's starting XI. He's been there and done it at the highest level, earning praise for his holding role against Ecuador during the 2006 World Cup.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

13. Ji-sung Park

keys: manchester united | Ji-sung Park | Midfielder| Ji-sung Park profile | Ji-sung Park photos pictures wallpapers

irthdate:	25 Feb 1981
Birthplace:	Seoul, South Korea
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	65
Joined United:	08 Jul 2005
United Debut:	09 Aug 2005 v Debreceni (H)
International	Korea Republic

Though his first title-winning campaign ended six weeks prematurely due to cartilage problems, Ji-Sung Park’s departure from the Premiership stage in 2006/07 was typical of his efforts in a Red shirt thus far.

It was the industrious South Korean’s tap-in, his fifth league goal of the campaign (from just eight starts), that virtually secured the points against Blackburn at Old Trafford, another pivotal moment in a season chock-full of them. It followed a succession of lung-bursting efforts across United’s midfield, whether as a first-choice or as substitute, that have made him something of a cult hero since his arrival from

PSV in the summer of 2005.

Born in Seoul, raised in Suwon just outside South Korea’s capital, Park left school at 18 to join Japanese side Kyoto Purple Sanga. His potential to make the leap from Asia to Europe was spotted by Guus Hiddink, who coached the South Korea during their successful run to the World Cup semi finals in 2002. Later that year, Park followed Hiddink to PSV.

Jiearned widespread recognition in 2005 after scoring against Milan in the Champions League semi finals, but he had gradually been building his reputation in Holland. Park played only a fleeting part in PSV’s title success in his first season in Holland. Two years later he had fully adapted to European football and was an integral component of the side that clinched Holland's League and Cup Double.

Alerted to his blossoming talent, Sir Alex had Park watched more than 20 times before finally signing him for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £4 million, in June 2005. Having already proved his ability in Europe, acclimatising to the Premiership was Park’s initial test. He rose to the challenge, playing all but four of United’s Premiership matches in 2005/06. He scored his first goal for the club with a fine strike in the 3-1 away win

over Birmingham in December 2005, and claimed his first medal in the Carling Cup final win in February.

Fresh from a visit to renowned knee surgeon Richard Steadman in April – his second operation of the season – we look forward to a return as swift as the pace with which he attacks opposing defences.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

11. Ryan Giggs

keys: manchester united | Ryan Giggs| Midfielder | Ryan Giggs profile | Ryan Giggs photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	29 Nov 1973
Birthplace:	Cardiff, Wales
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	736
Joined United:	09 Jul 1990
United Debut:	02 Mar 1991 v Everton (H)
International	Wales

Ryan Giggs is the club’s most decorated player with 18 major honours, yet he might never have graced Old Trafford had it not been for Sir Alex Ferguson’s intervention.

Cardiff-born Giggs was attending Manchester City's School of Excellence in his early teens, but Sir Alex made a personal visit to his house on his 14th birthday and Ryan jumped at the chance to sign for his boyhood club.

He turned professional at United in November 1990. He made his League debut in the old Division One against Everton at Old Trafford on 2 March 1991 as a substitute for Denis Irwin. The following season his first

League start proved a memorable occasion, scoring his first ever United goal (albeit via a deflection) in a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

Injury to Lee Sharpe enabled Giggs to pin down a regular place at the start of the 1991/92 campaign, thanks to his mesmerising dribbling skills and blistering pace. His first trophy arrived in April 1992 as United beat Nottingham Forest in the League Cup final, and the following season saw Giggs claim the first of his record nine Premiership winners’ medals.

His impressive trophy haul also contains European Cup, European Super Cup and Inter-Continental Cup winners’ medals, while he has played a part in four of Sir Alex Ferguson's five FA Cup triumphs. The prestigious cup competition will forever be synonymous with the Reds winger after his superb solo effort in the semi-final replay against Arsenal at Villa Park in April 1999.

Ryan celebrated 10 years at Old Trafford with a testimonial match against Celtic in 2001/02. A year later he bagged his 100th career goal in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and became only the second ever player to play 700 games for United when he helped the Reds to a dramatic 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in March 2007. The

club's all-time appearance record holder is Sir Bobby Charlton (759) and Giggs is well on the way to surpassing that figure.

The Welsh captain played an integral role in United's 2006/07 title-winning season and was lauded by players and pundits alike. It was a record ninth triumph for Giggs and it edged him ahead of previous record holder Alan Hansen, who scooped eight titles during his Liverpool days.

Having retired from international football in June 2007 with 64 caps and 12 goals, Giggs was promptly honoured again - this time with an OBE as he was included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to football. The United winger signed a contract extension in October 2007 which will keep him at the club until at least June 2009.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

4. Owen Hargreaves

Keys: manchester united | Owen Hargreaves | Midfielder | Owen Hargreaves profile | Owen Hargreaves photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	20 Jan 1981
Birthplace:	Calgary, Canada
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	10
Joined United:	01 Jul 2007
United Debut:	19 Aug 2007 v Man. City (A)
International	England

In his own words, it was “possibly the longest-running transfer saga” in football. But after a several months of prolonged pursuit, United finally signed Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich in May 2007.

The Canadian-born, England international midfielder’s stock has risen dramatically in the past year. During the World Cup, one newspaper reported that he was “a shock £7million target” for Sir Alex. His eventual fee was closer to £17million when the transfer finally went through, and Hargreaves had become one of European football’s most highly-thought of defensive midfielders.

Born and raised in

Calgary, Canada, where his parents moved from England in the early eighties, Owen left for Germany aged 16 to join Bayern Munich.

After earning his stripes in their youth ranks, a 19-year-old Hargreaves made the step up to first-team football in August 2000 in what was a highly successful season as Bayern claimed the Bundesliga title and Champions League crown. In the semi final against Real Madrid Hargreaves showed he could hold his own against Madrid's "galacticos", and remains one of only two English players to win the European Cup with a non-English club - the other being Steve McManaman.
The following season saw Hargreaves establish himself as a regular and key member of Bayern's first-team and witnessed his breakthrough at international level. Hargreaves was eligible for any one of the home nations, as well as Canada, and, had he delayed his decision, Germany under residency rules. He plumped for England, and after several impressive Under-21 displays, he was called into the senior squad in 2001.

Initially a squad player, it took until the 2006 World Cup in Germany for Hargreaves to truly be seen as a key man. In fact, he was booed in their opening match of the tournament, but went on to be named Man of

the Match in the quarter final defeat to Portugal and was voted England Player of the Year in January 2007.

Not only will Hargreaves add another dimension to United’s midfield with his determined, energetic and enthusiastic style, the 26-year-old also has vast experience. A Champions League winner in 2001 and four-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern, Hargreaves has also experienced two World Cups and a European Championships with England. Partnering Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick – or indeed both – gives a well-balanced feel to United’s engine room.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

24. Darren Fletcher

Birthdate:	01 Feb 1984
Birthplace:	Edinburgh, Scotland
Position:	Midfielder
Appearances:	159
Joined United:	03 Jul 2000
United Debut:	12 Mar 2003 v FC Basel (H)
International	Scotland

Darren Fletcher was one of a host of players who scooped their first ever Premiership winners’ medal in May 2007.

Despite seeing his chances limited in the centre of the park by the burgeoning partnership of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick, the Scottish international still made forty appearances, netting three goals including a vital winner in the 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough in December 2006.

But it was his mature midfield displays in the Champions League victories over AS Roma and, most notably, AC Milan at Old Trafford which really caught the eye and prompted praise from players and pundits

alike.

In May 2000, Fletcher was set to be included in the Reds’ squad for their trip to Villa Park, but FA rules - and his schoolboy status - denied him the chance.

He joined United officially as a trainee in July 2000, but injuries stymied his progress. He eventually made his debut against Basel in March 2003, but it was in the following season that Fletch made his mark, notching 35 appearances.

The maturity of his game impressed, and in United’s 4-3-3 system he became the legs and lungs of Roy Keane, all the while learning his trade from the master.

By this stage, Fletcher was established as one of Scotland’s leading lights: he scored the solitary goal against Lithuania that earned them a play-off for Euro 2004 and, later that season, at the age of 20, became Scotland’s youngest captain for 118 years.

The 2004/05 campaign brought Fletcher’s first goal for United, in a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day. His most famous strike to date was the one against Chelsea in November 2005 when he headed the goal that ended the champions’ 40-game Premiership unbeaten run. He’ll be hoping to significantly add to his goal tally during the 2007/08 campaign.


reference: http://www.manutd.com

28. Darron Gibson

Birthdate:	25 Oct 1987
Birthplace:	Derry, Northern Ireland
Position:	Midfielder
Joined United:	01 Jul 2004
United Debut:	26 Oct 2005 v Barnet (H)
International

Northern Ireland U21 international Darron Gibson is a powerful and athletic midfielder, who can both attack and defend.

His accurate and broad range of passing has made him an integral part of United’s youth team in the last two seasons, and his performances in the Reserves also earned him a chance at first team level.

Gibson’s United debut arrived a day after celebrating his 18th birthday in the Carling Cup victory over Barnet in October 2005. He was a second half substitute for fellow youngster Lee Martin in the 76th minute.

In his second season as an Academy

scholar, Gibson proved he was ready to make the step up to Reserve level. He was a regular fixture in Rene Meulensteen’s Treble-winning side during the 2005/06 campaign. He made 19 appearances, scoring twice.

Highly rated inside Old Trafford, the decision was taken to send Darron to Antwerp for the duration of the 2006/07 season to further his development in a competitive arena.

Although initially hampered by a troublesome knee injury, it didn't take the young midfielder long to make an impact in Belgium, and he was an integral part their push for promotion.
Despite Antwerp's eventual failure to reach the top flight of Belgian football, there's no question that Gibson benefited hugely from his time at the Bosuil Stadium.