Nobody embodies the values of Manchester United better than Sir Bobby Charlton. Having survived the trauma of Munich aged just 20, he played as if every game was for his fallen colleagues, recovering from his injuries to reach the pinnacle for both club and country. In a 17-year playing  career with United, he played a record 754 games, scoring 247 goals. It is unlikely his deeds will ever be matched.

Bobby scored 199 goals in 606 League games for United and was a vital element in the club winning the 1st  Division Championship in 1957,1965 and 1967. 1966 was a great year for Bobby as he won both European and PFA Player of the year awards for playing a pivotal role in the World Cup campaign the saw him score three times. Total of 49 goals for England.

“Le Roi”. “Le Dieu”. Or good old-but never, ever, plain old-Eric. Whatever you want to call Monsieur Cantona, the Frenchman’s four-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford are the stuff of legend.

No.7 shirt collar as stiffly upright as if it had been starched, that imperious look, theatrical swagger and poise, Eric Cantona was born to play for Manchester United-and, even better, he was pinched from across the Pennines to do so.

Eric Cantona was perhaps the most influential footballer in English footballer of the 1990s. A player of true vision and creativity, worthy of that now, much over-used word, “genius”. His passing, innovation and influence was unrivalled, he could split a defence with the sort of pass the only he could create. Eric had and exhilarating array of skills, back-heels, stylish flicks, turns and lobs combined with immaculate ball control and touch.

Best made his league debut for United in 1963 age17 and won an international cap before he turned 18. It wasn’t long before he was a household name throughout Birtain. George was perhaps the most important member of the great United team, which won the league Championship twice in the 1960’s.

After five years of playing breathtaking football his place in history was secured in 1968-United became the first English team to win the “European Cup and Best scored a superb solo goal in the final against Benfica. In 1970 he scored six goals in an 8-2 win over Northampton in the FA Cup, the most goals ever scored in a single match by any United player.

George Best will live on as a football icon forever. Blessed with unbelievable skill, he was a genius the like of which may never come again.

Born in Chester-Le-Street he began his career with West Bromwich Albion in 1974 and transferred to Manchester United in 1981 for a then record transfer fee of &pound1.7 million.

He was an inspiring Captain for both club and country, uniquely leading United to a hat trick of FA Cup wins in 1983, 1985 and 1990. Dogged by those cursed injuries for much of his career, he nevertheless won 90 international caps (65 as Captain) and score 26 international goals. One of these goals, against France in 1982 after only 27 seconds, is the second quickest ever scored at the World Cup Finals.
A real leader of men, many rival fans would have loved to have him in their team, but despite all the offers from Italy and elsewhere he remained loyal to United, the only club he ever wanted to play for.

Arguably world football’s biggest name, David Beckham is a global phenomenon but a part of him will be forever Red.

A decade spent marauding up United’s history, and his 57-yard strike against Wimbledon has become one of the most replayed goals of all time. He followed in the footsteps of his boyhood idol Bryan Robson by becoming captain of England, and has also become the only England player to score in three different World Cup finals.

A Prolifie goal-getter, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s scoring exploits at Old Trafford have safeguarded his place in United folklore.

The Dutchman struck 100 goals in his first three seasons in Manchester. He overtook United legend Denis Law’s title as the club’s all-time top scorer in European competition in his fourth term, and by the end of his fifth year at Old Trafford he’d reached 150 goals in fewer than 200 starts.

The Ductch striker left old Trafford in the summer of 2006 and headed to Spain to join Real Madrid.

Sir Alex Ferguson labeled him the best he’s ever worked with, aspiring footballers and Reds everywhere worshipped the ground he walked on: Roy Keane epitomised the unwavering spirit and desire to succeed Manchester United stands for.

Few sportsmen lead from the front in the way Keane did , on and off the pitch-and the fact that more than 70,000 United and Celtic fans paid their tributes to him at his testimonial before he retired in June 2006 says it all.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reluctantly called time on his United playing career on 28 August 2007-eleven years and three days after it began with a goal scoringdebut.

On the ficld, the Norwegian became an embodiment of United’s never-say-die spirit in their most successful decade, often scoring late goals when points or trophies ooked to have been lost. But off the field, he finally had to admit on defeat-In his battle with a persistent knee injury.

Ole’s many career highlight include his four goals in 12 minutes as a substitute at Nottingham Forest, in United’s record away win(8-1). But surely the most special memory of all would be the Champions League final in 1999 when he best exhibited his ability to seize the whisker of a chance. His injury-time toe-poke past Bayern Munich keeper Oliver Kahn competed United’s Treble and cemented his place in Reds folklore.