The 6 Men Who Played For Manchester United And Went On To Be United Manager
Here are the 6 men who are in the exclusive group of having played for Manchester United first team (competitively), and been the manager of the first team.
Although he did step into Sir Alex’s shoes for one game in 1998 (because Sir Alex attended a funeral), Jimmy Ryan isn’t on the list, because he never held the actual title of first team manager. Sir Alex’s 1 friendly playing cameo also doesn’t count!
Lal Hilditch
Player: 1916-1932
Manager: 1926-1927
Clarence ‘Lal’ Hilditch not only became the first player-manager of Manchester United, but also the first man to have both played for and managed the first team.
Hilditch joined the club as a player during the First World War, in 1916, and played 322 league games for United.
In October 1926, the United manager, John Chapman, was suspended by the FA for improper conduct and removed from his role, so he was placed in-charge until the end of that season (April 1927), while continuing to play for the club as well.
His spell as manager was pretty unsuccessful, with 10 wins, 10 draws, and 13 losses in his 33 games as boss, giving him a win percentage of 30.30%, which is among the lowest of all Manchester United managers.
Wilf McGuinness
Player: 1954-1959
Manager: 1969-1970
Many years after the first, Wilf McGuinness became the second man to become United manager having previously played for the club.
His short senior playing career started with United in 1954, and he went on to play 81 league games for the club, before breaking his leg in 1959, and having to retire at only 22.
McGuinness won 2 First Division league titles and 2 FA Charity Shields during his time as a player for United.
In June 1969, he succeeded the great Sir Matt Busby as manager of the club, but was sacked only 17 months later, after things didn’t go as well as United had hoped.
From 87 games as the boss, he won 32, drew 32, and lost 23, which gives him a win percentage of 36.78%. Sir Matt Busby, who had moved up to be a director, temporarily stepped back in to manage the team for the remainder of the season.
Ryan Giggs
Player: 1990-2014
Manager: 2014
Ryan Giggs is a name synonymous with Manchester United, having spent his entire 24-year playing career at Old Trafford.
After his debut in 1990 as a player, he made 963 appearances over 24 years, and became the most decorated player in the club’s history, including his 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champions League titles, plus countless other winners’ medals.
In April 2014, following the sacking of David Moyes, he was appointed as interim player-manager for the final four games of the season.
Though his time as manager was brief, he managed 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, giving him a 50% win rate. He then remained at the club as an assistant manager under Louis van Gaal.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Player: 1996-2007
Manager: 2018-2021
Ole Gunnar Solskjær arrived at United in 1996 under Sir Alex Ferguson as a pretty unknown player.
By the time he finished playing for the club in 2007, he was a popular cult hero, who will always be remembered mostly for that winner against Munich in ‘99.
He played a total of 366 times for United, and won 12 trophies, including 6 Premier League titles and the famous Champions League title of 1999.
In December 2018, Solskjær was appointed as caretaker manager following José Mourinho’s departure, but was made the permanent boss in March 2019.
He brought a positive atmosphere and almost became the first man to win a trophy as both a player and a manager of Manchester United. He reached multiple cup semi-finals, and of course lost a Europa League final on a penalty shoot-out.
He was eventually dismissed in November 2021 after a run of poor results, but his overall win percentage of 54.17% as United manager is among the best records of recent times.
Michael Carrick
Player: 2006-2018
Manager: 2021
As a player, Michael Carrick joined Manchester United from Tottenham in 2006 and quickly became an essential part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s midfield.
During his 12 years playing for the club, Carrick played 464 times, and won 5 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League, an FA Cup, 3 League Cups, the Club World Cup, 6 Community Shields, and the Europa League with United; It makes him the club’s tied 4th most decorated player for all time.
Following Solskjær’s departure as Man United’s manager, Carrick served as caretaker manager for three matches, overseeing 2 wins and 1 draw (66.67% win rate), which included a Champions League victory against Villarreal and a league win over Arsenal.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Player: 2001-2006
Manager: 2024
With 150 goals in 219 games as a player for United, Ruud Van Nistelrooy is one of the most prolific goalscorers that the club has ever had.
Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Dutch side PSV in 2001, and he went on to win 1 Premier League title, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, and 1 Community Shield.
Things went a bit sour between Ruud and Sir Alex, and he left United for Real Madrid in 2006.
In October 2024, Van Nistelrooy stepped in as caretaker manager for United following the sacking of Erik Ten Hag. He was in charge for 4 games (3 wins, 1 draw), before Ruben Amorim became the United manager in November 2024.