RYAN GIGGS at 753.

Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official Match Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM

During Manchester United's score draw against Everton on Saturday, Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE, making his 540th League appearance matched an appearance record set by Sir Bobby Charlton.

Veteran Giggs has been with his only club Manchester United for an unparallel 19 seasons, a unmatchable accomplishment in the modern game due to the now greed dominated money spinner we love called football.

Many statistical sites include & credit United's main stay forward for surpassing the record set by Sir Bobby Charlton during United's double winning Season of 2007/08, but this assumption has always included friendly games such as the beginning of season "curtain raiser" the FA Charity Shield & other tournaments like the World Club Championships & UEFA Super Cup.

Ryan Giggs, if he indeed takes the field against West Ham United @ Old Trafford this Wednesday night, will well and truly surpass the current competitive record with one more 1st team appearance.

Close to his 35th birthday (29th November) & born in Canton, Cardiff, Wales in 1975 to father Danny Wilson a Professional Rugby Union player & & his mother Lynne Giggs, Ryan adopted the name Giggs at the age of 16 after his parents had separated.

After attending Manchester City's football school of excellence after being recommended by Bitter Blue scout Dennis Schofield, while with close City rivals, Giggs still played for his Local team Deans & had caught the eye of United Steward Harold Wood on a number of occasions, Wood had no luck trying to persuade any of the MUFC scouts to check out Giggs until he managed to bend Fergies ear, so a scouting mission later & a ensuing hat trick for Ryan in a match against United U15's (while SAF was watching from his office at United's old Training ground "The Cliff"), SAF visited Giggs on his 14th Birthday with United's Scout Joe Brown at the young Welshman's house offering him Schoolboy forms after Man City had decided against signing him.

Representing England at a Schoolboy level it was confirmed as he got older that he infact had no English links in his family, but was able to play internationally for Sierra Leone (Editor: imagine the clashes with Alex Ferguson) through links of his Grandfather or Wales which was option B!!!.

After breaking into the 1st team his competitive debut was against Everton at Old Trafford where he replaced Denis Irwin as a substitute, however he ended up on the losing side as United went down 2-0.  His goalscoring account opened against the team who didn't want him in Manchester City on the 4th May 1991, a match which the Reds went on to win 1-0.


Widely regarded now as Manchester Lad & ever present piece of furniture at the club such has been the years he has been a part of the fabric, in the twilight of an immense career, the Welshman with 144 goals in 753 games his accomplishments see him as 1 of only 17 players in Manchester United history to have scored over 100 times for the club.

This feat also sees him currently tied for 11th place in the Manchester United All Time goalscorers list ("The 100 Club") with former Scottish International Forward David Herd, who scored as just as many goals playing in the same side as the Holy Trinity of Best, Law & Charlton.

Spanning almost the same amount of years at Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson, Giggs in his time has won 2 European Cups, 10 Premiership Titles, 4 FA Cup Winners Medals & 2 League Cup medals, a Toyota Cup winner, Intercontinental Cup winners, Super Cup Winner & 7 time Charity Shield winner.

United's most decorated player boasts in incredible wealth of experience after 540 League matches, 31 League cup, 62 FA Cup, 116 European Cup, 3 UEFA Cup & 1 Cup Winners Cup appearance dating back to 1991.

Ryan is a dying breed in the world of the modern footballer & text book example of how to conduct yourself on & off the pitch, look up class act in the dictionary & you should see a picture of Ryan Giggs.

Take a bow & Thank you Mr Ryan Giggs OBE.

What's your opinion .....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW

Name: Ryan Joseph Giggs
Position: Forward
Birthdate: 29/11/1973
Birthplace: Canon, Cardiff, Wales
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 10st 10lb
Signed trainee: 09/07/1990
Signed professional: 29/11/1990
Full International: Wales
Debut for Manchester United: 02/03/1991 v Everton (H) 0-2 (League Division One)

ALL TIME TOP TEN MUFC APPEARANCES
No		Player Name	Nationality	Seasons	Total Apps
1.		Robert Charlton		1956-1973	753
2.		*Ryan Giggs		1990-????	753
3.		William Foulkes		1952-1970	682
4.		*Paul Scholes		1994-????	566
5.		*Gary Neville		1992-????	537
6.		Alexander Stepney		1966-1978	534
7.		Anthony Dunne		1960-1973	529
8.		Denis Irwin		1990-2002	517
9.		Joseph Spence		1919-1933	510
10.		Arthur Albiston		1974-1988	482

ALL TIME TOP TEN MUFC GOALSCORERS
No	Portrait	Player Name	Nationality	Seasons	Total Apps	Total Goals	Strike Ratio Goals/Games
1.		Robert Charlton		1956-1973	753	247	0.33
2.		Denis Law		1962-1973	401	236	0.59
3.		Jack Rowley		1937-1955	422	208 (100)*	0.49
4.		George Best		1963-1974	466	178	0.38
5.		Dennis Viollet		1952-1962	291	178	0.61
6.		Joseph Spence		1919-1933	510	168	0.33
7.		Mark Hughes		1983-1986, 1988-1995	462	162	0.35
8.		Ruud Van Nistlerooy		2001-2006	216	149	0.69
9.		Stanley Pearson		1937-1946	342	149 (52)*	0.44
10.		David Herd		1961-1968	263	144	0.55
11.		Ryan Giggs		1990-????	ACTIVE	144	?
12.		Paul Scholes		1994-????	ACTIVE	139	?
13.		Thomas Taylor		1952-1958	189	128	0.68
14.		Ole Gunnar Solskjaer		1996-2007	357	126	0.35
15.		Brian McClair		1987-1998	468	126	0.27
16.		Andrew Cole		1994-2002	268	121	0.45
17.		Alexander Turnbull		1906-1915	245	100	0.41
n/a		Joseph Cassidy		1893, 1895-1900	167	99 (2)^	0.59
n/a		Jack Smith		1937-1946	41	15 (160)*
* = Wartime Goals did not count as competitive matches
^ Joseph Cassidy scored twice in Test Matches which were counted as Friendly's