Manchester United’s history is littered with some of the finest players ever to grace professional football, both from home and overseas.
One of the club’s strongest seams for talent has been Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with players from both sides of the border making their mark for the Red Devils.
With that in mind, we have scoured the history books to pick out six players we believe are the best Irish footballers to play for Man United.
George Best
George Best netted 179 goals in 470 games for Man United – a tally which includes a double hat-trick against Northampton Town in an FA Cup tie in 1970.
Best played a key role during the run to the 1968 European Cup Final, culminating with him putting United 2-1 ahead of Benfica in extra-time.
His unfortunate struggles with alcohol have been well-documented, while his passion for playing casino games with glamour models in tow also generated plenty of headlines.
Had Best been around today he undoubtedly have loved playing the games provided by casinos.com, but would still have found time to be a hugely talented footballer.
Roy Keane
Manchester United famously pinched Roy Keane from under the noses of Blackburn Rovers in 1993 – a move which infuriated then-Rovers manager Kenny Dalglish.
Famed for his fiery nature, the former Nottingham Forest was a much better midfielder than many people are willing to give him credit for.
He was hugely influential during Man United’s treble winning season in 1998/99 and ended his time with the club with 19 major trophies on his CV.
Keane’s infamous fallout with Sir Alex Ferguson has not tarnished his legacy – quite simply, he is one of the best players ever to represent the club.
Tony Dunne
While numerous players grabbed the headlines for United during the 1960s, it would be foolish to underestimate the impact Tony Dunne had on the club.
He is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs in United’s history – no mean feat when you consider some of the talents that have had in that position.
Dunne helped the team win two league titles (1965 & 1967) and the FA Cup (1963). He also played in every game during United’s successful 1967/68 European Cup campaign.
He was allowed to join Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer in 1973 and proved the folly of that decision by playing more than 200 games for the Trotters.
Denis Irwin
‘Underrated’ is a word often used when people describe Denis Irwin and it is fair to say that assessment is bang on the money.
The club paid £625,000 to buy Irwin from Oldham Athletic in 1990 – an outlay which ultimately proved to be one of the biggest bargains of all time.
Irwin made more than 500 appearances for United during a 12-year stint with the club. He helped the Red Devils win 15 major trophies during an epic period of dominance.
He was a hugely influential figure in the dressing room, with his professionalism rubbing off on the young players who progressed through the system during that period.
Paul McGrath
Although McGrath was another player whose off-field demons garnered plenty of column inches, the Irishman’s ability on the pitch cannot be underestimated.
McGrath helped United win the FA Cup by defeating Everton in 1986 and is widely regarded as one of the finest Irish players to play for the club.
Ferguson recognised McGrath’s talent after replacing Ron Atkinson as manager, but he was ultimately unable to tame a player who was often close to self-destructing.
Despite this, Ferguson described McGrath as ‘incredible’ given what he had going on in his life – it is impossible to disagree with that viewpoint.
Johnny Carey
If you mention Johnny Carey’s name to the vast majority of United’s overseas fanbase, it is highly likely you will be greeted by a shrug of the shoulders and a blank expression.
However, Carey was the player Sir Matt Busby appointed to captain the team in the aftermath of the Second World War and he went on to become a club legend.
He led the club to FA Cup success in 1947/48 and the First Division title in 1951/52, and was chosen as the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 1949.
Carey, who played for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, also enjoyed success with several clubs as a manager including Blackburn Rovers and Leyton Orient.
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