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DENNIS VIOLLET |
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Full
Name
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Dennis
Viollet
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Date
of Birth
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20th
Sept 1933
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Place
of Birth
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Manchester
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Position
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Forward
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Height
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5ft
10
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United debut
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11/4/1953
vs Newcastle (A)
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.....
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Viollet's
United Record 1952-1962
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Appearances |
Goals |
| League |
259 |
159 |
| FA
Cup |
18 |
5 |
| League
Cup |
2 |
1 |
| Europe |
12 |
13 |
| Other games |
2 |
1 |
Total |
293 |
179 |
Viollet's
International Record
1960-1961
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2
Caps for England - 1 Goal
..
1957 1st Div League Championship
1956 1st Div League Championship
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One
of the most prolific goal-scorers
in Old Trafford history Dennis Viollet
was a goal scoring machine. Viollet
was slim, perhaps even frail of
appearance, but with lightning pace
and top quality control he which
could slice through the best defences
like a knife through butter. His
appearance was deceptive and any
defence that underestimated him
soon paid the consequences.
He also had the distribution and
all round ability to succeed in deep-lying positions which he
did at times for United and, later
in his career with Stoke City. His
only discernible flaw was a lack
of aerial ability, however when
playing alongside the likes of Tommy Taylor
this was not a problem.
One of the original
Busby Babes that conquered England
in 1956 and 57, together with Taylor he formed
a lethal combination. In 1959/60
he really did demonstrate his quality,
firing in 32 goals in 36 League
matches, more strikes in one season
campaign than any United player
before or up to the present day. His record still stands and
is unlikely to be beaten, the scale of his great achievement is that he outscored other greats such as Jack Rowley, Stan Pearson, Tommy Taylor, Bobby Charlton,
Denis Law and George Best.
Born
in Manchester, Viollet was a product of the United youth team whom Busby eyed as a replacement for aging striker, Stan Pearson. Once an established first team regular in 1953, Viollet, together with his
partner-in-goals Tommy Taylor, terrorised First Division defences. Viollet loved the
space created by the bustling Taylor
who, in turn, scored off the opportunities
fashioned by his cohort.
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The England manager only selected half of
the super United double-act in Tommy
Taylor but if England fans were
denied the chance of his great talents,
United supporters faced no such
deprivation in those glorious adventurous
pre-Munich days.
Anyone who doubted that Dennis was an outstanding
performer in his own right was soon
answered with proof after Tommy
was killed and Dennis made that
goal-scoring record. In 1958 he was one of the players who journeyed to Belgrade for the quarter-finals of the European Cup, scoring one of the goals in a 3-3 draw. Viollet escaped the blazing wreckage at Munich Airport, with injuries which were initially thought to be career threatening.
By 1962 Busby was creating a new United team and Viollet was surprisingly transferred to
Stoke in January 1962. Later he went to Irish League Linfield,
before completing his football
career in the United States NASL where he later became a coach. Dennis
Viollet died in March 1999 aged
65. Bobby Charlton said of him "I'm
delighted his record has still not
been broken, its the perfect way
to remember him". Viollet was a
1950's Ruud van Nistelrooy or Denis Law,
a goal scorer worthy of the great
places in Manchester United history.
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