Saiyed Karim
Sometimes good things come in small packages. It’s not true that players who are short can’t make in football and even in other sports that demand height, like basketball.
For example, you can find a list of the shortest NBA players who dominated in the past here.
That couldn’t be truer when it comes to players that have played for Manchester United.
Many believe that football is a sport for the giants, but there have been numerous examples of small players becoming giants at Old Trafford. But, who are some of the smallest players that have played for Manchester United during their esteemed careers?
Paul Scholes
We may as well start with one of the best small players that have ever played the game. Paul Scholes is still regarded by many as one of the finest midfielders to have ever played the game.
His passing was an instrumental part of the dominance United achieved throughout the Sir Alex Ferguson era, but he wasn’t a player that opposing sides would want to get on the wrong side of, as he always put a bit of a bite into his tackles. Scholes was part of the illustrious class of 92, and signed his first professional deal with the club in 1993.
The midfielder played 718 times for the Red Devils, and such was his influence on the team, Ferguson asked Scholes to come out of retirement in 2012 to play for another couple of seasons. He played 17 times on his return to the game, scoring four times, before playing an important role in the following season as United won the league title in Ferguson’s final season.
That would also be Scholes’ last league title, meaning that he retired from the game having won eleven Premier League titles, two Champions League and three FA Cups.
Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan joined Manchester United in 1984, and played for the club until 1989, when he moved to Leeds United.
Ron Atkinson made the move to bring Strachan to the club, and he signed from Aberdeen for a fee of around £500,000. Strachan would immediately hit the ground running for the Red Devils, as he scored four goals in the opening seven games of the old First Division. However, the season would ultimately end in disappointment for United, as they finished fourth in the league.
However, he ended the season with an FA Cup winners medal, as he played an important role in Norman Whiteside’s goal.
The following season saw Strachan deal with numerous injuries, and United struggled on the pitch, which ultimately led to the end of the Atkinson reign.
Ferguson’s arrival at the club ultimately ended Strachan’s time at the Theatre of the Dreams, as the incoming manager revealed that Strachan wouldn’t be an integral part of his plans, and he was sold to Leeds United in 1989.
Strachan later became a manager, having a quite successful spell at Celtic Glasgow.
Lou Macari
Lou Macari remains a much-loved figure by Manchester United fans, as many supporters often visit his fish and chip shop on their way to Old Trafford on matchdays. On the pitch, he was also a legendary figure for the Red Devils, as he played over 400 times for the club between 1973 and 1984.
Macari joined United from Celtic in 1973 for £200,000 and was an important player in the club’s Second Division winning campaign under Tommy Docherty in 1975. Macari wouldn’t win the First Division during his time with United, but he was able to get his hands on the FA Cup in 1977.
He was unfortunate not to add more success to his collection, as he was a beaten finalist in two FA Cups and the League Cup final in 1983. During his career at United, he made 404 appearances and scored 97 goals.
However, after finding first-team opportunities hard to come by in the 1983-84 season, he moved to Swindon Town to play in the Fourth Division. Macari now retired for a long time, is a very charitable person and a respected United legend.
