Written by John White
Branch Secretary
Carryduff Manchester United Supporters’ Club
Northern Ireland’s Biggest and Best Official MUSC
The result, at the weekend, wasn’t something we either anticipated or hoped for, but the average age of the side selected has given us pause for thought.
Our starting XI versus Crystal Palace was as follows:
Team: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw (Young 34); Pogba, McTominay (Mata 85); James, Lingard (Greenwood 56), Rashford; Martial.
Substitutes: Romero, Tuanzebe, Andreas, Matic.
Let’s look back to the 1995-96 season when Alex Ferguson decided to place his trust in his Youth Team players, Fergie’s Fledglings. Prior to the start of the 1995-96 season, Blackburn Rovers were the reigning Champions, and a lot of football pundits regarded United as a spent force, a has been side. Many agreed. Why wouldn’t they? After all, Mark Hughes, my hero “Sparky,” moved to Chelsea, Paul (in his own mind “The Guvnor”) Ince left United for Serie A side, Inter Milan, and Andrei Kanchelskis signed for Everton.
So! How do you replace these three players? And let’s not forget that Mark “Sparky” Hughes is forever, a United Legend. Paul Ince was a midfield maestro but hey, he played in the same team as the midfield general, Bryan Robson, so let’s put Ince’s self-monikered “Guvnor,” label too one side. And Kanchelskis was a flying machine who scored many goals for us.
Well, we all know what happened next. Fergie places his trust in his Youth Team players and “Fergie’s Fledglings” were released from their pen and let loose on their Premier League opponents. The season began unspectacularly, a 3-1 loss away to Aston Villa which prompted Alan Hansen to famously remark: Click Here.
Well Mr Hansen, the kids did alright in the end. Actually, they did a lot better than just alright as we lifted our second Double in only three seasons.
Let me recall, our 1996 FA Cup winning, Double Winners, side.
Team: Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister, David May, Phil Neville, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona and Andy Cole.
Subs: Gary Neville (replaced Beckham), Lee Sharpe and Paul Scholes (replaced Andy Cole).
With the exception of Harry Maguire over David May, in my opinion there isn’t a single player who played for us against Crystal Palace that would get a slot in our 1996 FA Cup winning side.
Do you agree with me?
And Eric’s goal in the 1996 FA Cup final.
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Dont agree sorry,
Bissaka doesnt have pallister or irwin to play with
Mctominay more importantly doesnt have the huge influence that wouldve been, Keane.
Rashford or martial dont have a cantona or even a cole to look to.
Not all of these were exceptional world class talents but their mentality Alone wouldve been enough to get some of our new players going and doing that 20% Better than even they know they can.