Ranking Manchester United's Top Left-Backs
Manchester United have been represented by some wonderful players throughout their history.
It includes some fantastic left-backs, some of whom have become the best in the world in their position.
Three of United's top 10 appearance-makers were left-backs, with Tony Dunne, Denis Irwin and Arthur Albiston playing a combined 1,549 games for the club.
Here's a rundown of United's best left-backs. Weight has been given to the impact they had at Old Trafford and their ability in the position.
Feel free to use the comments section below to agree, disagree and add your own.
The Rest
1 of 9
Lots of players have played at left-back for United without ever holding down the position.
Utility men John O'Shea and Phil Neville have filled in there, while Brazilian Fabio made most of his United appearances as a left back. Noel Cantwell and Johnny Carey also played at left-back.
Even left wingers Lee Sharpe and Ryan Giggs played the odd game at full-back during their Old Trafford careers.
8. Clayton Blackmore
2 of 9
Clayton Blackmore filled lots of positions at United but spent much of his career at Old Trafford at left-back.
He graduated through the club's youth system and made 245 appearances for United before leaving for Middlesbrough in 1994.
He was part of the squad that won the Premier League title in 1993 and the FA Cup in 1990. He started at left-back in the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup final when United beat Barcelona 2-1 in Rotterdam.
7. Lee Martin
3 of 9
Lee Martin graduated from United's academy and bridged the gap at left-back between Arthur Albiston and Denis Irwin.
He made his debut at the end of the 1987/88 season and made 73 league appearances for United before leaving for Celtic in 1994.
Martin's was a relatively short United career, but he scored one of the most important goals in the club's history, grabbing the winner in the 1990 FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace to give Sir Alex Ferguson his first trophy at Old Trafford.
6. Gabriel Heinze
4 of 9
Gabriel Heinze was a firm favourite among the United fans for much of his time at Old Trafford.
He arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2004 and made 83 appearances, scoring four times, and winning the 2007 Premier League title and 2006 League Cup.
But any support he had from the United fans disappeared when he tried to force a move to Liverpool after losing his place at left-back to Patrice Evra. He eventually left for Real Madrid in 2007.
5. Arthur Albiston
5 of 9
Arthur Albiston was another left-back to make the step up from United's youth system.
After signing his first professional contract in 1972, he made his first-team debut two years later.
He went on to make 485 appearances before leaving for West Bromwich Albion in 1988. He was part of the team that won promotion back into the First Division in 1975, also winning three FA Cup winners' medals in 1977, 1983 and 1985.
Only nine players have made more appearances for United than Albiston.
4. Tony Dunne
6 of 9
Irishman Tony Dunne arrived at Old Trafford from Shelbourne in 1960 and spent 13 years at United before moving to Bolton in 1973.
His 535 United appearances put him seventh on United's all-time list.
He was in the United team that won the European Cup at Wembley in 1968, to add to the league titles he won in 1965 and 1967 and his 1963 FA Cup winners' medal.
3. Roger Byrne
7 of 9
Roger Bryne made 280 appearances for United, but his United career ended in the tragedy of the Munich air disaster in 1958 when he was one of 23 people killed.
He was naturally right-footed but played as an outside left before settling at left-back. He was United's captain between 1955 and 1958 and made 33 appearances for England.
2. Patrice Evra
8 of 9
Patrice Evra became one of the best attacking left-backs in the world during his eight-and-a-half year stay at Old Trafford.
Signed for a cut-price £5 million from Monaco in 2005, he played 379 games for United before leaving for Juventus this summer.
He won five Premier League titles and was part of the United team that won the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow.
1. Denis Irwin
9 of 9
Denis Irwin is remembered as one of Sir Alex Ferguson's shrewdest signings. He arrived from Oldham for just £650,000 in 1990 and made 529 appearances in a 12-year career at Old Trafford.
Only seven players have played more games for the club.
He left for Wolves in 2002 with seven Premier League titles, three FA Cup winners' medals and a Champions League title. He was United's left-back throughout their treble-winning season in 1999.
.jpg?w=480 "Titans Camp Football")
