Dozens of players from Ireland and Northern Ireland have worn the Red Devils jersey over the decades, and many of them have proven to be not only among the best in their respective squads but also the best in the world. From the early 20th century, through the Busby Babes, and to the Sir Alex Ferguson era and beyond, various Irishmen have helped propel Manchester United to most of their titles, cup wins, and Champions League trophies.
We’ll hopefully see many more great Irish players don the red-and-white colours in the future, but for now, let’s check out the 10 best former Manchester United players from Ireland.
An Honourable Mention
The only Irishman in the Manchester United squad today is veteran player Jonny Evans. He has three Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, and several cup wins already under his belt. Additionally, Evans is the second-most decorated footballer in the history of Northern Ireland after Neil Lennon.
Given all of the above, we should probably put Evans high in the Top 10 list. However, Evans is still playing, so we’ll focus on players who have already hung up their football boots. Still, we’d have to be Louis van Gaal to not at least honour Evans with a mention.
10. Sammy McIlroy
The Belfast-born McIlroy recorded 419 appearances for Manchester United in the 11 years between 1971 and 1982. He was unfortunate enough to play during the team’s “slower” years after Matt Busby’s tenure and before the Sir Alex Ferguson years. Nevertheless, McIlroy was part of the backbone of the team and helped win an FA Cup and a Second Division title.
9. Johnny Carey
Nicknamed Gentleman John, Carey helped get Manchester United promoted into the first division of English Football (today’s Premier League) in the years before the Second World War, and then captained the team to an FA Cup, a Charity Shield, and a First Division title during the early days of the Busby era. Though he had to retire from senior football soon after and missed out on much more silverware during the Busby years, Gentleman John remains a Manchester legend nevertheless.
8. John O’Shea
O’Shea was part of the second half of the Ferguson era at Manchester United, and this is why his resume at the club doesn’t shine as much as some of the other Irishmen’s resumes on this list. That’s definitely saying something, however, because O’Shea recorded five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League cups, four Community Shields, the 2008 Champions League trophy, and a Club World Cup.
7. Norman Whiteside
Another Northern Irishman, Whiteside played as a midfielder and a striker for United between 1982 and 1989. He scored 68 goals in 274 appearances in that time and won two FA cups with the club before moving to Everton for a few years and retiring from professional football after that. Whiteside was a part of Ferguson’s first three years at the helm, but he left the team by the time the team started picking up steam and retired a couple of years later at Everton.
6. Harry Gregg
Gregg was United’s goalkeeper from 1957 to 1966. An iconic Busby Babe and a hero of the Munich Air Disaster, Gregg made 247 appearances for the club. The Northern Irishman was also a part of the 1958 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team and the 1958 World Cup Best Goalkeeper.
5. Kevin Moran
The Dubliner played for Manchester United for ten years, from 1978 to 1988. He scored 21 goals in 231 appearances as a defender and won two FA cups. He also recorded a total of 71 caps for Ireland. What’s more, he was a top GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) player, winning two All-Ireland titles.
4. Tony Dunne
Dunne made 535 appearances as a full-back for Manchester United during the Busby era. He was one of the most consistent parts of the team at the time, which helped lead the Red Devils to an FA Cup, two First Division titles, and the famous European Cup (today’s Champions League) win in 1968.
3. Denis Irwin
Irwin played 529 for United under Alex Ferguson and won 15 trophies in his time at the club. The flexible full-back played on both the left and the right for the club from 1990 to 2002, a period that included seven Premier League titles, four FA cups, a UEFA Champions League trophy, and three League cups. If you were placing football bets with your favourite bookies or no deposit casinos at the time, many of the games Irwin played could’ve earned you a handsome return.
2. George Best
Choosing between George Best and the famous fellow we put as #1 was close to a coin toss. Both were icons in their prime, both led Manchester United to the summit during the team’s two Golden Eras, and both are equally deserving of being at the top of this list. We didn’t toss a coin, roll dice, or look for to bet on to figure out how to arrange the top two spots, however. Ultimately, however, we placed Best second simply because the Busby era didn’t quite hit the same astronomical title and trophy numbers as the Ferguson era.
Regardless, younger readers can rest assured that Best lived up to his name while wearing the Manchester United kit. The Belfast man scored 179 goals in 470 appearances for the Red Devils, won the 1968 European Cup—a first for any English club—and won two First Division titles. Best was also named European Footballer of the Year in 1968.
1. Roy Keane
Keane is not only the greatest Irish player to don the Red Devils shirt—he’s the greatest captain the team has ever had and one of the best players and captains in the history of English football. He won the Premier League title seven times with Manchester United and lifted a Champions League trophy, four FA cups, four Community Shields, and the Intercontinental Cup. With 19 trophies on his resume, Keane is the most decorated footballer in Irish history (Republic and Northern).
Signing Off
Some other names we could have mentioned include Shay Brennan, Frank Stapleton, and Paul McGrath. Many others have exhibited greatness in their time on the team but didn’t quite reach the Top 10’s heights for one reason or another. It remains to be seen who the next Irishman to win the hearts of the red half of Manchester will be.
