The Athletic ranks Man Utd's Top 25 All-Time stars: No. 24 is "natural winner" Denis Irwin

Who is the greatest player in Manchester United history? The Athletic invited veteran journalist Andy Mitten to compile a list of the top 25 players in the club's history. He referenced appearances, goals, and assists, prioritized experiences during championship golden eras, distinguished between evaluation methods for older and newer players, and meticulously ranked them after reviewing records and consulting current and former players. This list will be revealed in reverse order over the coming weeks.

Denis Irwin joined Manchester United for a modest fee in 1990, playing 529 matches for the Red Devils over 12 years, contributing 33 goals and ranking tenth in club history for appearances. He won numerous honors, including seven Premier League titles, the Cup Winners' Cup, two doubles, and the 1999 Treble. He was twice included in the PFA Team of the Year and inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. His humble and down-to-earth personality and unwavering professional attitude earned him the nickname "natural winner" from Ferguson, who considered him the only player guaranteed a spot in Manchester United's all-time best XI.

Manchester United's Top 25 Players in History, No. 24 – "Natural Winner" Denis Irwin

Sir Alex Ferguson once said that left-back Denis Irwin was the only player guaranteed a spot in his all-time Manchester United best XI, calling him a "natural winner."

Ferguson deeply admired his fighting spirit and wrote in his 1999 autobiography: "You won't find a more popular player in football than this understated Irishman. He was the ultimate professional, one of those silent, rarely praised unsung heroes who underpin the foundations of all great clubs."

In 2020, when I asked Denis Irwin why he received such high praise, he replied: "I just went out and did my job. I wasn't a superstar, but Ferguson still valued me. I never caused him trouble; that's just the kind of person I am. I gave my all, and he saw that. I trained hard, learned from my mistakes, and my teammates appreciated my effort. Ordinary fans might not see me in the headlines; I wasn't a flashy star and had no desire for the spotlight. I just wanted to do my job diligently. In my playing era, full-backs were like humble pawns on a chessboard. We had wingers like Giggs and Beckham in front of us to deliver crosses. Today, the tactical importance of full-backs is incomparable."

Denis Irwin was born in Cork, Ireland, the same hometown as teammate Roy Keane. When Leeds United released him at 20, he admitted it was a major turning point in his life. This rejection, however, motivated him, and he subsequently excelled for two years at Oldham Athletic under Joe Royle. The team was promoted to the English top flight and featured in many classic cup matches, including two FA Cup semi-final encounters with Manchester United in 1990.

Months later, Ferguson signed Irwin for £625,000 (equivalent to $1.1 million in 1990 currency), a transfer that quickly proved to be excellent value. Between 1990 and 2002, Irwin played 529 matches for Manchester United, scoring 33 goals, including 12 penalties, ranking tenth in club history for appearances. He played a total of 900 matches throughout his club career: 82 for Leeds United, 204 for Oldham, and 85 for Wolves; he also made 56 appearances for the Republic of Ireland national team.

Denis Irwin joined Manchester United during the team's ascendancy. As he matured and improved steadily each year, the Red Devils' overall strength also climbed. In 1991, he won the European Cup Winners' Cup with the team in Rotterdam, defeating Barcelona. In 1992, he won the League Cup with the team, and in 1993, he won the inaugural Premier League title with the team, achieving a total of seven Premier League titles in his career.

The rise of wingers like Giggs and Lee Sharpe and the Class of 92 also enhanced Irwin's performance.

He described the team: "It was like a big tree, with its branches growing stronger and stronger. Manchester United was an excellent platform, and everyone wanted to stay there and keep learning. The training intensity was immense, and the competition within the team was incredibly fierce."

Team rivalries often pitted English players against foreign players, and the side composed of Keane, Irwin, Andrei Kanchelskis, Peter Schmeichel, and Cantona was formidable.

In 1994, Irwin scored one of the most spectacular goals of his career at Anfield, a free-kick. In the same year, he won the club's first double with the team, an achievement replicated twice more, including the historic Treble in 1999.

"The 1994 team was physically tough and hard to beat," he recalled. "The league was more intense back then. Football styles changed a lot between 1994 and 1999. The 1994 team wasn't as entertaining as the 1999 team, and we had fewer rotation options upfront, but we were full of fighting spirit and won the double. I really enjoyed playing alongside those teammates; the starting lineup was pretty fixed back then."

"No achievement can surpass the 1999 Treble. I'm one of the few players who experienced both peak periods, but working with the 1994 team was equally unforgettable."

Keane on Denis Irwin: "We shared a room back then. We both came from Cork, just from opposite ends of the city. Neither of us was big on talking. Denis was quiet, intelligent, and composed. I was also a man of few words, and we got along very well."

Regarding individual honors, Irwin was included in the PFA Team of the Year twice and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

At 36, Irwin left Manchester United to join Wolves, becoming teammates with another Manchester United legend, Paul Ince. Wolves was the team he supported as a child; while his friends were Liverpool fans, he deliberately chose Wolves to be different. He played two more seasons in the top flight, making 52 appearances in his first season.

Now 60, Denis Irwin still lives in Manchester, remains low-key, and maintains close contact with friends from decades past. Before becoming famous, he met a young man from Cadiz on holiday in the Balearic Islands, and they remain close friends. He attends music festivals with his wife, whom he met at Leeds United, and also serves as a Manchester United ambassador.

Denis Irwin loved chess from a young age, once winning runner-up in the Irish National Championship for his school team, and often played against Cantona.

He smiled and said, "Our chess games never lasted long." But his brilliant football career, however, stretched out for a long and illustrious time.