With the ongoing problems caused by the foreign player rule in European
competition, Alex Ferguson bolstered his defence in 1994 with the purchase of
Blackburn defender David May for £1 million. May started his career with
the Blackburn side as a schoolboy and progressed through the ranks until he
became their first choice centre back. He was part of the Blackburn side that won
promotion to the Premiership in 1991-92 but was a Manchester United player when
they won the Premiership in 1995.
Upon his arrival, many saw David May as a long term replacement for Steve Bruce,
but with the United captain's partnership with Gary Palliser as solid as ever,
May was deployed as a right back. It was a position he was not suited to at all
and as a result his first season at Old Trafford was one of frustration.
Not until the following season when Bruce left did May get a regular chance at
playing through the centre of defence and by the end of the season he was first
choice alongside Gary Pallister. In 1996-97 he enjoyed his most fruitful
season, forming a championship winning defensive partnership with Pallister
and playing the best football of his career. The odd important goal was thrown
in as well, including a memorable opening goal against FC Porto in the European
Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford.
May was rewarded for his excellent form by a call-up to Glenn Hoddle's England
squad in March 1997, but he was forced to withdraw through injury. 1997-98 was a less
successful year for May as Ronny Johnsen and Henning Berg began to stake strong
claims for places in the United defence. A string of injuries then struck which
ruled him out for the majority of the season and he became Old
Trafford's forgotten man, playing only a handful of matches.
His return to fitness in time for 1998-99 was offset by the arrival of £10.75
million defender Jaap Stam from PSV Eindhoven. May's prospects of a first team
berth were diminshing rapidly and he was left languishing in the reserves for
much of the season. Nevertheless he picked up a Premiership winners medal but his
future at Old Trafford remains uncertain.
