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GARY PALLISTER |
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Full
Name
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Gary
Pallister
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Date
of Birth
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30th
Aug 1965
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Place
of Birth
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Ramsgate
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Position
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Central
Defender
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Height
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6ft
4
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United debut
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30/8/1989
vs Norwich (H)
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.....
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Pallister's
United Record 1989-1998
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Appearances |
Goals |
| League |
314 (3) |
12 |
| FA
Cup |
38 |
2 |
| League
Cup |
36 |
0 |
| Europe |
39 (1) |
1 |
| Other games |
6 |
0 |
| Total |
433 (4) |
15 |
Pallister's
International Record
1989-1998
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22
Caps for England - 0 Goals
..
1997
F.A. Premier League
1996
F.A. Cup
1996
F.A. Premier League
1994
F.A. Cup
1994
F.A. Premier League
1993
F.A. Premier League
1992
League Cup
1991
European Cup Winners Cup
1990
F.A. Cup
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Gary
Pallister possessed all the attributes
of a superb centre-back. He had
excellent aerial ability and domination,
he had pace as quick as any striker
and he had good ball control (especially
for someone so tall). For nearly
six years his partnership with Steve
Bruce became almost legendary, a
defensive duo United may never be
able to better, such was the communication
and understanding between the two
at the heart of United's defence.
Pally was Britain's most expensive
defender at one time, £2.3
million and he proved to be a gem
worth every penny.
He was born in Ramsgate on 30th
June 1965. and after playing for
non-league Billingham Town, Pallister
was spotted by Middlesbrough
where he spent four years with the
club he had supported as a child.
During his time at Ayresome Park,
the Teeside club were suffering
from financial difficulties and
a local businessman paid Gary Pallister's
wages when the club were unable
to pay them.
In August 1989 Pallister was transferred
to Manchester United for a then
record fee of £2.3 million.
After a dodgey start in which the
transfer fee seemed to affect his
form he began to put in the great
performances he would become known
for.
Pallister went from strength to strength
and has formed the backbone of Manchester
United's defence for nine years.
With United he won a major trophy in all
but one season, 1994-95. A total of ten major honours: Three
F.A. Cup's, four League Championships,
the League Cup, the European Cup
Winners' Cup and the European Super
Cup. This record was only recently
bettered by Dennis Irwin. In 1992
he was voted the PFA Player of the
Year and had become a regular full England international. |
It
can no coincidence that Gary Pallister's
arrival at Manchester United coincided with the start of the club's most successful
period ever. His pace, and aerial
ability coupled with composed determination
meant any opponent would have to
play out of their skin to get past
him. Many opponents under-estimated Pallister's pace and as he timed his tackles
brilliantly it meant he was rarely booked.
The big man gained a notorious reputation in training, Ryan Giggs said of Pallister: "He was a terrible trainer, he'd moan about everything and in five-a-sides he'd just stand up front doing nothing. We still have the 'I've had a Pally' T-Shirt to remember him by!".
In July 1998 Pallister completed
a £2.5 million move back to
his old team Middlesbrough, but
not because of any serious decline
in standards in his game. A recurring
back injury not helped by United's
heavy schedule limited the amount
of games he could play in, so perhaps
reluctantly he moved on. When Fergie forked out the record £2.3
million in 1989 many doubted his
sanity. A decade later Gary Pallister
is up there with the rest of the
United legends and must go down
as yet another of Alex
Ferguson's great player
purchases.
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