Debut: 0-2 defeat vs Norwich City, August 30th 1989
League Record: 314 games (+3 as sub), 12 goals
Sold to: Middlesbrough (£2,500,000) July 1998
Talk about a bad start: signed as the most expensive player in the country, on his debut – broadcast live on TV - Gary managed to give away a penalty and look like a complete lummox. A few weeks later, we got run all over the pitch in a 5-1 defeat to Man City and it was looking like a transfer mess-up in the Garry Birtles mold was in the offing. Instead, he ended up as one of the top centre halves in the country and a mainstay of one of the best defensive line-ups in the club’s history.
Starting out at Middlesbrough in the mid 80s, he played his part in bringing them back from bankruptcy in the old Third Division all the way to the top flight. Though they were relegated in 1989, young Gary had earned England caps and wanted to stay in the top flight to help his chances of further honours. With Paul McGrath sold, we were in the market for a replacement and Fergie had to go through protracted negotiations before getting his man.
After his rocky start, not helped by playing in a team struggling for form, he finally settled in alongside Steve Bruce, a centre back partnership that would form a crucial part of the success to come. The two would eventually be labelled "Dolly and Daisy" and complemented each other superbly: Pallister was surprisingly pacey (I seem to recall he was one of our top sprinters over 100 meters for many years) and also a lot taller than Bruce. Pally was also confident with the ball at his feet and, somewhat amusingly, also looked knackered out after a few minutes on the pitch.
Somewhat infamously, he was regarded as a terrible trainer to the degree the other players coined the phrase "having a Pally" for someone who'd not done too well that day.
Through the early 1990s, he improved vastly along with the rest of the team - his own development being recognised by fellow pros who voted him PFA Player of the Year in 1992. The next year, he didn't miss a game as we won the first Premiership title. A classic United moment came in the last home game of that season, against Blackburn. With the title already won, we were 2-1 up in the last minute when we won a free kick on the edge of their area. To everyone's surprise (especially Bryan Robson, who can be seen on camera looking to the bench with a look of bafflement), Pally stepped up to take it. To complete a legendary season, he then smashed the ball home to score his first of the season.
(As a sidenote, if you ever watch the behind-the-scenes video Captain's Log, there's a scene before the game where Pally laments him not scoring that season and asks to take any free kicks near goal if we were winning. Obviously the boss was in a generous mood!)
Despite his consistent form in a successful side, he never got the recognition at international level. 22 caps is no small amount, but he surely deserved more. Instead, successive coaches preferred the likes of Tony Adams, Mark Wright and Gareth Southgate. He got the respect he deserved from United fans, though - we knew he was a crucial part of a winning team.
Perhaps his greatest moment in the shirt came close to the end of his time with us, at Anfield in the Spring of 1997. Chasing the title, points were essentially and Pally stepped up to nod in from two corners at the Kop end in a brilliant 3-1 victory, giving the team a big boost on the road to another title.
Eventually, age and injuries took their toll and he was sold back to Boro. He only managed a couple more seasons before decided to pack it in, and he’s been seen a few times on MUTV, including one memorable occasion where a caller on a phone-in stating his admiration for Gary’s 'bulge' in the trouser area. Another amusing anecdote was told to Andy Mitten by a teammate who said that when Pally had his kitchen renovated, he had the fridge moved a foot closer to the door to living room so he didn’t have to walk so far for a beer.
One United fan told me Pally was as thick as two short planks and wouldn't have been anything without Steve Bruce ( and presumably Tony Mowbray before that ) telling him what to do. He always seemed reasonably bright when interviewed to me.
ReplyDeleteThe impression I've always had is that he's incredibly laid back. Perhaps that can be confused for dopiness, as I agree he's always come across well when I've seen him do media work.
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