Most reserve games for United

lysglimt

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In lack of better things to do on a friday night I made a list of the players with the most reserve games for United - starting the season Ferguson took charge of United:

1. Lee Martin 138 matches (The FA Cup winner Lee Martin)
1. Michael Clegg 138 matches
3. Derek Brazil 136 matches
4. Russel Beardsmore 132 matches
5. Mark Robins 126 matches

Must admit I was very surprised that Lee Martin ended up as nr 1 - I always got the impression that he was injured a lot in his United-days.

Mark Robins was the leading scorer with 86 goals in 126 matches
Giuseppe Rossi came 2nd with 55 goals in 65 appearances - not a bad ratio
 
Back in the day reserve football used to be alot more competitive as compared to the level it is at now.. Even if you go back to the mid-90's It was still a bit competitive.. Nowadays its just like another youth league... I think the system they have in Spain is worth looking at.. Having a team in the lower leagues.. What do you guys think?
 
Chirag said:
Back in the day reserve football used to be alot more competitive as compared to the level it is at now.. Even if you go back to the mid-90's It was still a bit competitive.. Nowadays its just like another youth league... I think the system they have in Spain is worth looking at.. Having a team in the lower leagues.. What do you guys think?
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I am totally against it - we have that system in Norway and it makes it totally unfair for the other teams. We will probably get a system where Man United one week have a very strong side - and the next week due to league cup matches or whatever, field a much weaker side.

In Norway the consequences aren't that huge because the difference between playing in a regional 3rd division and the 2nd division is small - but in England where there is a lot more money etc at stake - it will turn nasty!
 
lysglimt said:
I am totally against it - we have that system in Norway and it makes it totally unfair for the other teams. We will probably get a system where Man United one week have a very strong side - and the next week due to league cup matches or whatever, field a much weaker side.

In Norway the consequences aren't that huge because the difference between playing in a regional 3rd division and the 2nd division is small - but in England where there is a lot more money etc at stake - it will turn nasty!
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Very good post.
 
Decotron said:
Nice stats, Rossi's record was impressive. You dont by any chance have Sylvan Blakes record for us?
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Blake:

2 first-team appearances (1 as sub), 1 goal
44 reserve appearances (13 as sub), 30 goals
58 academy appearances (10 as sub), 30 goals
 
lysglimt said:
I am totally against it - we have that system in Norway and it makes it totally unfair for the other teams. We will probably get a system where Man United one week have a very strong side - and the next week due to league cup matches or whatever, field a much weaker side.

In Norway the consequences aren't that huge because the difference between playing in a regional 3rd division and the 2nd division is small - but in England where there is a lot more money etc at stake - it will turn nasty!
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I agree with that. I think when people express a desire in moving towards the Spanish or German model, they forget or ignore that lower league football in England is ridiculously popular in comparison to those countries. The sort of support third and fourth tier clubs get in this country is on a different scale to clubs at the same level in Spain or Germany. And so to put Premier League reserve teams into those divisions would a) mean forcing some of those clubs, with thousands of fans, down into non-league, and b) would unfairly interfere with those clubs' ambitions, due to different strength sides from week to week.

I mean from a purely selfish view it would benefit us, sure, but I don't think it can be justified. Now there's maybe an argument that there are too many professional clubs in England and it's not sustainable to keep so many, but that's for another day.

I'd be happy if we just went back to the reserve league system from 3/4 years ago where teams would play 25/30 league games and additional MSC/LSC fixtures rather than the current 18-match season (20 this season because of the north/south imbalance).
 
I'd like to see the reserve team become just that, rather than a glorified youth league. I remember watching the reserves at Old Trafford on a Saturday afternoon, knowing only too well that injuries to any first team player would mean that anyone of those guys will play the following week. Also any returning player would get a run of games to help get him back to match fitness.

Now the occasional 60 minute cameo from a returning squad member or the younger first team squad members if you are lucky. Someone like Gary Neville would have been back up to speed a lot quicker with a proper competitive reserve league than he has been with the odd first team run out.

I suspect someone like Paddy Roach, Ashley Grimes or even Tom Sloan may well be up at the top of reserve team appearance records all time. A quick question didn't the old Central League run a 42 game season back in the 70/80's?
 
Tribec said:
I'd like to see the reserve team become just that, rather than a glorified youth league. I remember watching the reserves at Old Trafford on a Saturday afternoon, knowing only too well that injuries to any first team player would mean that anyone of those guys will play the following week. Also any returning player would get a run of games to help get him back to match fitness.

Now the occasional 60 minute cameo from a returning squad member or the younger first team squad members if you are lucky. Someone like Gary Neville would have been back up to speed a lot quicker with a proper competitive reserve league than he has been with the odd first team run out.

I suspect someone like Paddy Roach, Ashley Grimes or even Tom Sloan may well be up at the top of reserve team appearance records all time. A quick question didn't the old Central League run a 42 game season back in the 70/80's?
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42 games a season was the norm for decades before the war and carried on until 1981/82. In 1982/83 it was reduced to 30 league games but most of the 1980's it was 34 league games a season.

Ashley Grimes was involved in the first team quite a lot so only made 70+ Central League appearances while Tommy Sloan notched up nearly 150 games during his time here. Paddy Roche is a good call and he played in 237 reserve games. I don't have 100% accurate records for the 1940's, 1950's or early 1960's but I guess the likes of Laurie Cassidy, David Gaskell and Jimmy Rimmer would have made over 200+ games each. Either of these three would be close to or over Paddy Roche.
 
PS18 said:
Blake:

2 first-team appearances (1 as sub), 1 goal
44 reserve appearances (13 as sub), 30 goals
58 academy appearances (10 as sub), 30 goals
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Cheers PS18. Blakes really looking confident these days. A far better and more natural finisher than Campbell IMO. The premiership beckons for him. Hope he does well as he always seemed like a good lad
 
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