UK / English
Documentary / Sports
Robson or Rooney? Best or Beckham? Stiles or Scholes? A host of great players have played for Manchester United over the club’s long and distinguished history, but who would represent the Red Devils in your ultimate dream team?
A unique, fan-driven project, Manchester United: Greatest Ever XI sets out to select a definitive team of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous red shirt. A worldwide fan poll was held on manutd.com allowing fans to vote for their Greatest Ever XI and in doing so decide the line-up that will be featured in this official club DVD collection.
Across 4 DVDs, which include over 130 players, fans make the case for their picks and relive memories of mighty performances on the pitch highlighting the club’s most memorable players.
The first 3 discs take a detailed look at players by position – The Defenders turns the spotlight on full backs, centre halves and ‘keepers from Carey to Irwin, Stam to Vidic, and Stepney to Schmeichel; The Midfielders takes in United’s wealth of talent in the centre of the pitch, from tough tacklers such as Keane and Stiles to magicians like Best and Ronaldo; The Strikers celebrates the heroes upfront, including icons such as Cantona, Charlton and Law. Finally, on the 4th disc comes the moment of truth as the fans’ ultimate United side is revealed. Which superstars make the cut?
Disc 1
The Defenders: the players who have provided the last line of defence at Old Trafford over the years. From Ray Wood and Harry Gregg to Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar, we look at the ‘keepers who have been inspirations between the posts. In front of them, Jaap Stam stood as a behemoth, Charlie Roberts, Roger Byrne, Denis Irwin and Gary Neville were beloved by the fans for their efforts while Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce provided new manager Alex Ferguson with the rock upon which he built his first title-winning side and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic provided the platform for another great United team.
Disc 2
The Midfield: four positions that have been filled with heroes over the years. These are the men who changed and controlled the game from the middle of the pitch for the Reds; ‘Captain Fantastic’ Bryan Robson, ‘Busby Babe’ Duncan Edwards and perhaps the greatest of them all George Best are among those featured. The Midfield also takes a look at some of the best to wear the magnificent number 7 shirt for United: Steve Coppell, Johnny Berry, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo and gives nods to Lee Sharpe, Andrei Kanchelskis and Ryan Giggs. Celtic Crusaders Norman Whiteside, Paddy Crerand and Roy Keane get their due as do Paul Scholes, Nobby Stiles and Eddie Colman, players who skirted the spotlight but drew the admiration of their peers.
Disc 3
The Strikers: the best and most notable forwards to wear the Manchester United shirt. From Jack ‘Gunner’ Rowley, to Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, we celebrate the players who have provided so many unforgettable moments. Included in the programme are pieces on pre-war stars Sandy Turnbull, Bob Donaldson, Billy Meredith; cult heroes of the Stretford End such as Stuart Pearson, Joe Jordan and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; and the goal poachers who terrorised opponents inside the 18 yard box: Ruud van Nistelrooy, Brian McClair and Andy Cole. And, of course, there are the icons including Denis Law, Eric Cantona, Sir Bobby Charlton, and so many more.
Disc 4
With all the contenders covered, we come to the hard part, choosing The Greatest Ever XI. Presenter Steve Bower leads us through the results of a three-week poll conducted on Manutd.com to determine the fans’ choice for the greatest XI to play for Manchester United. Footage and graphics supplement the discussion as players are compared against each other and finally the results are revealed.
A panel of former Manchester United Greats, including Bryan Robson, Lou Macari and Paddy Crerand, debate the fans choices. They will reveal the poll results for the two greatest ever centre-midfielders, fullbacks, centre backs and one keeper then on to the wingers and strikers. Two wingers: who have the fans elevated? Giggs? Beckham? Best? Ronaldo? The panel debates the potency of certain pairings – Best receiving service from Beckham, Ronaldo and Giggs flying past opponents as if they weren’t there. Finally the strikers: have the fans chosen Wayne Rooney over Eric Cantona?
