Bugsey713 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Right because the new season is pretty close I thought now would be a good time to try this. There seems to be a wide variety of decent football fans on here so I'm hoping this generates some decent discussion. Hopefully if this takes off we can do one for all the top clubs. Â Anyway, in my opinion no man has ever had the impact on any side like Eric Cantona had on Utd in the 90's. He single handedly won the premier league in 96 for us. He seemed to thrive leading our young team in the mid 90's. The fact that fergie indulged him and all his craziness just shows how highly he thought of King Eric. I'm sure if somebody else picks him they will give a more eloquent write up than I can. Â And just to clarify I'm talking greatest ever not just since sky invented football in 1992. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted July 31, 2013 Moderators Share Posted July 31, 2013 Picture rule is in effect. Reasons wanted. Â I've never been a Man U fan, but seeing as I come from the village of Ruabon it has to be Mark Hughes, otherwise I'd be disloyal to THE VILLAGE. Also, he had many great games for Wales, which is more than can be said for Ryan Giggs (Clayton Blackmore was probably better for Wales than Giggs at times). I'm especially fond of Hughes' cracker against Spain here in Wrexham in 84 or 95. One of the greatest goals I've ever seen. Â Other than him my favourite, although not necessarily the best, is Mark Wilson who we at Wrexham got on loan in 1998 or so. 5 or 6 goals in about 14 games and really looked a different class. I thought he was going to have a massive future in the upper echelons of the game. Another favourite is George Best as I like to pretend I look like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Maverick Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 In my lifetime it's Ronaldo, I love Cantona as much as the next man but Charlton, Best etc are all before my time so I have to go with Ronnie, despite being a mardy prick he's got it all and will surely go down as one of the greatest ever. Don't think there's any other option on sheer ability in the last few years, Scholes would probably be my number 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Fucking hell, I'll have to have a ponder over this when I go to Tesco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsey713 Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 I was very close to picking Scholes as I don't think we will ever have another player like him as far as consistency goes ( especially his wild tackles ). Rounding out my personal top 3 would be Schmeichel, best gk I have ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Won't count the likes of Best and Charlton, because I'm to young to have seen them outside of footage they show, so will only go with my lifetime. I say Eric Cantona. Ronaldo might have been the better player, but United were a rudderless ship when Eric joined. They were having trouble finding the net and the mix of youth and experience they had was missing that one talisman that could do something at the drop of a hat. The experience of watching Cantona play is something I've never felt since he retired. He was a giant character. He was the reason United won as many things as they did. It was like history repeating itself when he booted that thug in the face and got banned. United were sitting third in the league when Liverpool came to Old Trafford for Eric's grand return in 95. United had sold Hughes, Kanchelskis and Ince and brought in a grand total of fuck all players with the funds available. United still had a great team, but Eric's return lifted the whole team. After the new year, it was incredible to see. Just a bunch of Cantona 1-0 victories and late goals. He was clearing balls off the line and all sorts. His record of 5 League titles out 6 (the one he lost was when he was sitting at home for months) says it all about him. You only have to read interviews or read the books of Keane, Scholes, Butt, Giggs, Beckham and those types. His attitude of being the first in and first out of training made a massive impression on the youth team and the young superstars that he played with. He may have been completely mental on occasion, but Eric was an absolute pro when on the training field. A proper influence and inspiration to the other 10 players on the pitch. Â There might have been better players, but his influence lasted years after he left. And that's why I think he's United's best player in my lifetime. He was the King. He is the King. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patiirc Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Though cut short by Munich, my choice has to be, Duncan Edwards. Could defend like a demon, when defenders were defenders and could also get forward and dribble round players and had a wicked shot on him as well. Possibly one of England's greatest ever players  Here's a tribute video from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr75rgusNJU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Maverick Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Is there even much footage of Edwards out there? Almost all opinions on him seem to come from those about at the time, and while he was probably very good it's hard to judge him now given the little there is to go on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Not having that. Unless you are in your 80's or something, you are basing that opinion on other people's opinion. Not doubting his brilliance, but he hardly going to be written about in anything other than a glowing light based on how he died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Patdfb, if you're going to use that logic, just say George Best. He had insane talent and people actually got to see him play for a decade. Edwards died at 21. He might have been the most talented player (we'll never know sadly), but he isn't the greatest United ever had because we never got to see what he did, only hear about it. We saw Best, Ronaldo, Charlton and we saw them win European Cups and lead the team on. Saying Edwards is United's greatest ever player is just a mental thing to say unless you saw him week in and week out. He didn't do what Best and Ronaldo did, through a horrendous tragedy. There's so little footage or him about. You had to be watching him every single week at the games. Â He might have been, possibly should have been, but he isn't United's greatest ever player. Â Not having that. Unless you are in your 80's or something, you are basing that opinion on other people's opinion. Not doubting his brilliance, but he hardly going to be written about in anything other than a glowing light based on how he died. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bono Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 In my lifetime the best players are  Robson[who they stole off us along with our manager :-]-Cantona-Scholes-Ronaldo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 My Dad would tell you that Bobby Charlton is the greatest United player of all time and he may well be right, but like others have said, it is difficult to fairly evaluate players of previous generations. I mean, the facts are there in black and white, but these discussions are about more than goals, appearances and trophies. Â <--- My Answer. The only man I've ever truly idolised. Â Many have played for much, much longer than Eric did. Many have scored more goals and won more trophies, but none have had the lasting influence that Eric has had. It's pretty mental to think that he was only there for four and a half years and managed to cement himself as one of the greatest players ever to wear the shirt in that time. Rooney has double the tenure without making half the impact. Â It's not even about what he did on the pitch, it's the influence he had on the mentality of the club and the fans that make him the greatest. Plus, I don't think you'll find a cooler motherfucker on the planet, which never hurts when it comes to popularity contests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Butch, can you change Arch Stantons avi to Prunier or Bellion, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Haha! Â But no, please don't do that Butch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Sergio Mendacious Posted July 31, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted July 31, 2013 Butch, can you change Arch Stantons avi to Prunier or Bellion, please? Â I've got avatars turned off, so it looks like Arch's idol is himself. Fair enough, but I don't remember him playing for the Man U. Â Don't feel qualified to comment on this, so I'm just going to say Giggs. When he leaves the Premiership, they should change its name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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