On December 1st 1990 Ryan Joseph Wilson accepted his first professional contract at Manchester United. Over two decades later, now Ryan Giggs, the incredible Welshman scored a vital winner for United today to keep his beloved team in the Premier League title race.
His appearance today at Carrow Road was the 900th of his Manchester United career and not content with that, Giggs ensured that he was the main man. Having conceded the lead late on, Giggs rescued all three points with a 90th minute winner. This is the latest great achievement in an illustrious playing career.
The Welshman has picked up 33 club honours in his time at Old Trafford and is only three appearances short of breaking the great Paolo Maldini’s appearances record for one-club men.
In his early career Giggs was a flying winger, capable of being devastating, deceptive and destructive, leaving defenders bewildered as he powered United towards glory. In recent years, as age has crept up on Giggs, he has developed his game and become more often than not, a central midfielder with a precision to his passing capable of unlocking defences at will.
An example to all professional footballers on how to train and maintain fitness into his thirties, Giggs is a modern wonder of the footballing world. Certainly Giggs remains as important a member of Manchester United squad as he was when he first starter. A key member of Fergie’s fledgings, Giggs has been a rock at Old Trafford for 22 years and has left his legacy on the club at which he will never be forgotten.
The most decorated player in premier league history, Giggs has picked up 12 league titles and is hunting a 13th this season. He has performed at his peak while United have hunted down Liverpool’s tally of league titles and has been a constant throughout many periods of change at Old Trafford. Giggs was a key member of the greatest season in the history of British football, helping United claim the Treble in 1998/99. He is the only man to have scored in every season of the Premier League and is a player widely tipped to progress to a successful managerial career after he has finished playing.
Ryan Giggs has produced consistent quality over two decades of fierce competition at the highest level of domestic and European competition. He has been one of the most awe-inspiring and idolised players of the modern era, standing shoulder to shoulder with Best, Law, Charlton and Cantona as the greatest players to grace the biggest stage of all at Old Trafford. Giggs will go down in history as a player not only to enjoy unbelievable longevity, but to perform brilliantly for every one of those 22 years and counting. Giggs signed a new contract at the start of the month that will keep him at old Trafford into 2013 and who knows, possibly beyond. The Welshman is a phenomenal part of footballing history and his name is synonymous with success, hard work, endeavour and honesty.
Ryan Joseph Wilson has developed into one of the biggest names in the game and his star shows no sign of fading. Ryan Giggs. Legend.
