Nicky Butt

Nicky Butt lived in the shadow of more celebrated Manchester United midfielders, which is a fairly harsh fate when the shadows are called Keane, Scholes, Beckham and Giggs. Yet inside Ferguson’s squad he had a clear and serious value: aggression, discipline, pressing, short passing and the humility to do the work that allowed more glamorous players to breathe. He was not a great creator, nor a midfielder built to control matches through poetry, but he was brave, tactically honest and excellent at protecting the rhythm of a team that attacked with huge confidence. His 2002 World Cup with England showed he could carry responsibility on a bigger stage, offering balance and bite in central midfield. Butt was a system player in the best sense, tough, intelligent and trusted. Not the headline, but often part of why the headline worked.