04 Sep 2025 09:18:25
It's international break, we've had the excitement of the new season and the intrigue of the transfer window. Now the lull has arrived lol. Just for fun I thought we could post our United under appreciated 11. I've been having a think about this and there's a number of players over the years who have been great for us but rarely get their props or get mentioned by fans. So here's my 11 from what I've seen in my time.
Gk: Romero
Rb: O'Shea
Lb: irwin
Cb: Jonsen
Cb: evans
Lw: park
Cm: fletcher
Cm: carrick
Rw: kanchelskis
Cf: berbatov
Cf: Chicarito.
04 Sep 2025 09:57:03
GK: Romero
LB: Silvestre
CB: Martinez
CB: Evans
RB: Brown
LM: Park
CM: Fletcher
CM: Butt
RM: Hargreaves
CF: Saha
CF: Tevez.
04 Sep 2025 10:22:14
Taibi
Buttner
Varela
Rojo
Prunier
Djemba Djemba
Anderson
Schneiderlin
Van de Beek
Bebe
Sanchez
What a team.
04 Sep 2025 11:14:44
AJH,
Brilliant.
04 Sep 2025 11:15:16
GK: Henderson
RB: Valencia
CB: Brown
CB: Silvestre
LB: Young
CM: Carrick
CM: Matic
CM: Pogba
RW: Nani
LW: Martial
ST: Saha.
04 Sep 2025 11:56:05
Too funny, AJH. LMAO!
04 Sep 2025 12:12:56
GK: Lindergard
RB: Valencia
CB: Pique
CB: Oshea
LB: Heinze
CM: Carrick
CM: Butt
CM: Park
RW: Nani
LW: Blomqvist
ST: Saha.
04 Sep 2025 12:17:45
Jokes aside and I know its a regular description of him, but one of the most underrated players ever is Michael Carrick. He was absolute class, the oil that kept the team moving, when he retired we struggled to replace him.
04 Sep 2025 12:37:55
We sold RVN and bought Carrick. We scored more goals and more people scored. We won the league after finishing 2nd the previous year., lost in the cup final and semi final of the European Cup.
David Bellion needs to be on the list of most under appreciated!
04 Sep 2025 12:48:29
I think it was Redman who recently posted that keane was the last top level midfielder we bought at the club. I think he must have forgotten about Carrick, who was clearly a level above the other hacks we have bought over the years. Everyone played better with Carrick in the team.
04 Sep 2025 12:50:11
Not sure how Irwin is under rated, he is often put in many epl all time teams as well as utd all time teams. Only younger fans ignore Irwin in these conversations as they probably never saw him play and think that Cashley Cole is the best the epl ever had ?.
04 Sep 2025 14:13:34
Leighton
Sievebeck
Donaghy
Hogg
Buttner
Grimes
Miller
Bebe
Dong Fangzhou
Manucho
Sancho
Now this is a team.
04 Sep 2025 14:16:00
Ajh he was the last proper midfielder we have had in that position. Imagine what our team now would be like if we had carrick in there. We’d be totally transformed.
04 Sep 2025 15:06:33
Most underrated player was Jesper Olsen, he was the player I most wanted to emulate when I was a kid. also Neil Webb, an earlier version of Carrick for the youngsters.
04 Sep 2025 15:27:15
Webb was class I was there for his debut, 4-1 against Arsenal, the game when Knighton juggled the ball on the pitch. He did his achilles I think and never really got back to the highest level. He became a postman I think.
04 Sep 2025 15:41:03
Surprised that Nani isn't included.
04 Sep 2025 17:47:22
Ajh i played with the United legends team in Ireland a few years back and I was playing up front with Andy Ritchie. The midfield 3 that day was ray Wilkins Bryan Robson and Neill Webb. Your right he is working as a postman lovely guy and had lots of great stories. Bryan Robson gave my son his boots after the game.
We played golf the following day and it was a great day too.
04 Sep 2025 18:33:44
Ken, that is AWESOME!
We've had some awesome players over the years. When it comes to best United players ever, Robson is right up there.
04 Sep 2025 19:32:41
Paul Mcgrath and Norman Whiteside all day long.
04 Sep 2025 19:38:36
My fav player of all time at united ajh. Got an assist for him and Wilkins [rip) let me take a few kick that hit the bar. My 2nd fav day ever playing football.
04 Sep 2025 19:49:58
Good thread Tim
My under recognised 433
Turner
Duxberry
Albiston
Bruce
Buchan
Whiteside
Butt
Park
Hill
Pearson
Strachan.
04 Sep 2025 22:17:29
Robson was my hero when i first watched United, there has been no close since.
I have decided to go with Amorims Formation, some of these are well known but i srill think they aren't as valued as much as they should be. They biggest been Rooney, i still think he was never appreciated as he should be by either club or country.
Gk Bailey
Rb G Neville
Lb Irwin
Cb O Shea
Cb Johnson
CB Maguire
CM Carrick
CM Fletcher
RF Rooney
LF Park
CF Sheringham.
04 Sep 2025 22:43:05
Carrick was great. However, he was slated on here towards the end. Remember?
Ken, Buchan was regaled when I was watching him play!
04 Sep 2025 23:37:11
As I wrote this I'm not sure they were always under appreciated but most of them definitely went through spells where their value was questioned
GK: Barthez
RB: Rafael
LB: Heinze
CB: McGrath
CB: Blanc
CM: Herrera
CM: Veron
AM: Mata
RW: Nani
LW: Poborsky
ST: Hughes.
04 Sep 2025 23:45:50
Carricks biggest problem is who he is compared too.
Robson, Keane and Scholes. Going back although very different geberations and styles of play you would say it the greatest English player of all in Charlton and then the greatest legend of them all, Big Dunc whom Charlton says was the only player who made him feel inferior too and whom i was bought up being told stories of by men who revered him.
Carrick and every United Midfielder has an almost inpossible legacy to fill.
05 Sep 2025 04:21:17
Strachan and Robbo, now your talking. Proper footballers.
What was your favourite day playing football Ken? That one seems pretty special. I'm guessing a game at OT on the hallowed turf?
05 Sep 2025 07:03:45
I played in Beckhams charity tournament in the O2 got to play with him and Zidane DB.
Got into a fight in semi final and was booked by paul durkin.
All I was doing was teasing ray parlour for losing all his money in his divorce settlement.
He went spare??
My seven a squad team was me and another amature hans segors paul parker Lee sharpe paul walsh kenny samson Graham roberts and Gareth Southgate.
Beckham and Zidane played 1 match with each team.
We lost in semi final on penaltys. Lee sharpe missed. 2 amatures in each squad. Really good fun.
05 Sep 2025 07:35:10
Remi Moses, Sammy McILroy, Brian McClair deserve a mention. Arnold Muhren wasn’t about for long but was a cracking player.
05 Sep 2025 10:19:47
Mcclair definitely worth a mention, got overshadowed by those around him but brilliant player none the less. Some great names in those teams and it’s nice to see some of those who don’t automatically spring to mind. Kanchelskis another one for me, instrumental for a few years but fades away behind names like Ronaldo, giggs, beckham, etc when talking about United greats in those positions.
05 Sep 2025 13:55:15
Great striker at celtic too.
05 Sep 2025 15:39:22
Gordon Hill and Steve Coppell. The Greenhoff brothers.
05 Sep 2025 16:46:04
Alan Brazil and Gary birtles and Peter davenport big money flops of their time.
05 Sep 2025 17:14:22
Diego Forlan, Henning Berg, David May, Ronny Johnsen and Evans were 2 world class man markers. Wes brown, Nicky Butt, Darren Fletcher, Park obviously, Nani, Romero, Paddy Mcnair, Darren Fletcher, Scott Mctominey, Herrera, Anderson. Jesper Blomqvist (especially as he came from IFK Goteborg, my 2nd home when they used to have decent teams) .
Raimond van der Gouw, Danny Welbeck, Rafael and Fabio (and their song) .
05 Sep 2025 17:17:22
And yes Veron, what a player. Maybe just in the wrong team at the time that generally played with 2 in the middle. Paul Mcgrath and Strachan too. Would'nt say Bryan Robson was underrated.
05 Sep 2025 17:27:15
1. De Gea
2. Brown
3. Shaw
4. McGrath
5. O’Shea
6. Butt
7. Whiteside
8. Park
9. Sheringham
10. McClair
11. Kanchelskis
12. Johnsen
13. Romero
14. Parker
15. Hughes
16. P Neville.
05 Sep 2025 20:54:59
Surprised nobody has gone for Homes under the Hammer presenter Dion Dublin.
Bought after the disappointment of losing out on Shearer, broke his leg then when he came back, Cantona turned up, talk about unlucky, could have been all time great.
06 Sep 2025 08:20:32
Late on the great posts
Dodgy, didn’t forget Carrick, thought he was a very good player, should have played more for England. Very smooth and would make a difference to us now. I just don’t think he was at Keane’s level. I was at Keanes debut at OT, special player, great leader, always felt he was someone to into battle behind and with
Some great stories there, Ken good stuff.
AJH I was in the Stretford End when Knighton did that ball juggling nonsense.
Martin Buchan Rolls Royce of a player.
Underrated Big Jim Holton.
06 Sep 2025 15:16:47
Few were at at Keane's level Redman, under rated player imho. People rave about him being a great captain, but many forget what a player he was. He was far more than flying tackles and screaming at his players.
Loved Robson, but I think Keano was better.
Carrick was the unsung player in his team. Less flashy and in your face that keano, but we really noticed when he wasn't playing. Always reading the game, single line splitting passes or switching the play with a simple short pass that started off another wave of attack.
Imagine keane and carrick in our double pivot today. Would be transformational.