40. Paul Ince (1989-95)
The self-styled ‘Guv’nor’ was a combative midfield player who ran hard, tackled ferociously, passed well and could still weigh in with the occasional goal.
He misread the room when later signing for Liverpool, which has led to him being less of a fan favourite than he could – and probably should – have been.
39. Sammy McIlroy (1971-82)
Irishman McIlroy was Sir Matt Busby’s last signing, making his debut in the 3-3 draw in the 1971 Manchester derby, scoring one and creating the other two.
Initially a striker, he reinvented himself as an attacking midfielder, and his longevity at the club owed much to his versatility.
38. Liam 'Billy' Whelan (1953-58)
His death in the Munich air disaster prevented us from seeing just how good Whelan might have become, but at 22 he had already played 95 times for United, scoring 52 goals, and four times for the Republic of Ireland.
A skilful winger, Whelan had tricks-a-plenty but end product too as he glided past opponents.
37. Michael Carrick (2006-2018)
A big-money purchase from Spurs, Carrick won an impressive 17 major titles with United, proving a vital cog in the midfield engine room, though he could also step back into defence more than adequately when required.
Always calm and seemingly blessed with time, he would frequently control even the highest-pressure games
36. Paddy Crerand (1963-1971)
A hard-tackling, combative midfielder, Crerand was an important figure in the mid-1960s team when his perceptive passing and endless running kept everything ticking over for the superstars up front.
Later assistant manager to Tommy Docherty and then a regular at club TV station MUTV, Crerand is United through and through.
35. Steve Coppell (1975-1983)
Part of the long-standing tradition of exciting wingplay at Old Trafford, Coppell was a highly regarded right wing whose speed and work rate were a major asset in the years of only moderate success.
A Liverpudlian, Coppell initially played for lower league side Tranmere Rovers so he could continue his education via an economics degree. But the wages United offered him were too good to turn down, and he made his debut from the bench in a 4-0 win over Cardiff City on 1 March 1975 – United were in Second Division that season.
A horrific knee injury suffered while playing for England against Hungary all but finished his career at just 28.
34. Paul McGrath (1982-1989)
McGrath rose from a difficult background, which included time in foster care and an orphanage, to become a truly great defender.
He had power, pace and touch and was equally assured in the air and on the ground. The fact he looked in control all the time on the pitch provided a stark contrast with his time off it, where he needed alcohol to ward off his shyness and dislike of the limelight.
A combination of alcoholism and knee surgeries led to Ferguson selling him to Aston Villa, where he later reunited with Ron Atkinson and had a successful ‘second’ career, culminating in him winning the 1993 PFA Players’ Player of the Year Award.
33. Brian McClair (1987-1998)
‘Choccy’ McClair joined United in July 1987 for £850,000 after four successful seasons at Celtic, where his goal-per-game ratio was considerably better than one in two – often quoted as the measure of a world-class striker.
McClair quickly proved he wasn’t just a flat-track bully and was equally capable of scoring hatfuls in the English First Division, becoming the first player to net more than 20 goals in a season for United since George Best 20 years earlier.
That his goal-scoring feats became fewer owed much to him being moved around, eventually back into midfield, but his versatility made him indispensable to his manager.
32. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (1996-2007)
The Norwegian made his name at home club Molde before a £1.5-million transfer during the Euro 1996 tournament.
Solskjær quickly made a name for himself and was soon nicknamed ‘the baby-faced assassin’ by fans for his combination of youthful good looks and deadly striking.
Tactically astute, he was able to analyse games from the bench and made a habit of coming on late in games and scoring, most notably his four in ten minutes against Nottingham Forest in February 1999 and of course the Champions League winner that same season.
His ‘Olegend’ status has not been diminished by his underwhelming stint as United manager.
31. Edwin van der Sar (2005-2011)
United had targeted Van der Sar as a replacement for Peter Schmeichel in 1999, but instead he went to Juventus and then to Fulham, so it was another six years before he came to the club.
When he did, he established himself as one of the very best keepers, saving a penalty during the 2008 Champions League Final, which led to him becoming one of a select number to win Europe’s premier club competition with two different clubs.
Slim but tall and athletic, he had excellent positional sense and could distribute the ball accurately with either foot. He won 26 major honours across the teams he played for and gained 130 caps for the Netherlands.
