Clubs: Manchester United FC, Sunderland AFC

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 1999, 2008

• Manchester born and raised, he spent several years at the United academy before signing as a professional in November 1996.

• Given his first England cap in April 1999, against Hungary, he travelled to the 2002 FIFA World Cup as a squad member but did not make an appearance.

• Helped United win the treble in his first full season, making occasional appearances, but suffered a major knee injury in summer 1999 that sidelined him for a year.

• In and out of the United team from one season to the next, collecting a variety of medals, before a deeply fulfilling 2007/08 campaign in which he won the UEFA Champions League against Chelsea FC in Moscow.

• Injured again in 2008/09 and missed most of the campaign, thus not making enough appearances to add to his five previous Premier League winners' medals; not in the squad for United's defeat by FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League finals of 2009 and 2011.

• Ended a long association with United when, along with John O'Shea, he moved to Sunderland in July 2011.