Brian McClair

Brian McClair was a devoted servant of Manchester United for 11 years. Born in Airdrie on 8th December 1963, he began his career with Aston Villa as an apprentice, but after only 12 months he moved to Motherwell in August 1981. There he combined his football with studying mathematics at Glasgow University (where he obtained a degree) and in June 1983 he signed for Celtic in a £75,000 deal.

At Celtic he won a Scottish Cup medal in 1985 and the League Championship in 1986. The following year he was voted Scotland's Player of the Year. His 99 goals in 145 League games had caught the attention of United manager Alex Ferguson, who brought him to Old Trafford in the summer of 1987 for a fee of £850,000.

Brian McClair was an instant success at Old Trafford which, after previous failures like Gary Birtles, had gained a reputation for being a striker's grave yard. McClair scored 24 goals in his first season becoming the first player since George Best to score over 20 League goals in one season. With a ruthless eye for goal and great awareness of opposing defenders The Scotsman was a potent force in English football and alongside Mark Hughes he paved the way for much of United's early success in the 1990's.

McClair won two FA Cup winners' medals, four League Championships, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and a League Cup winners' medal - scoring the only goal in the final in the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest. He also scored the last goal in the 4-0 win over Chelsea in the 1994 Final. Brian was also a full international and was a part of the Scotland squad which went to the European Championships in Sweden in 1992.

With the arrival of Eric Cantona McClair was frequently preferred in an attacking midfield position just behind the forwards, but he still never lost his scoring touch. He took a back seat over the last couple of seasons what with the youth players and Andy Cole taking centre stage but Alex Ferguson no doubt valued having a fellow Scot to confide in - as well as a great player who was willing to sit out games on the bench.

After he left United in 1998, McClair had a spell back in Scotland with Motherwell and then became a coach with Brian Kidd at Blackburn Rovers. That didn't work out as Rovers were relegated and both were eventually sacked. However, in 2001 McClair returned to the Old Trafford fold in the role of Manchester United Reserve team manager. At the start of the 2006 - 2007 season the he became the new Director of Manchester United's youth academy.

In his playing career, Brian McClair's biggest contribution was probably that he was able to lay to rest claims that high profile strikers were doomed to fail at United. "Choccy" (McClair sounds like a chocolate eclair) was a cult figure because he was such a nice bloke and was the fans admired his long standing loyalty to the club. He will be remembered as one of the modern greats at the club.