Clubs: Manchester United FC

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 2008, runner-up 2011

• Left Scotland for Manchester in July 2000 when he joined United as a trainee; turned professional seven months later but struggled with a succession of injuries.

• Made his Scotland debut against Norway in August 2003 and scored his first international goal two months later in a crucial UEFA EURO 2004 qualifier against Lithuania (1-0); confirmed as permanent skipper in November 2009.

• Groomed as a right-sided midfielder, and possible replacement for David Beckham, he evolved into a central midfielder though flitted in and out of the side in United's 2006/07 and 2007/08 Premier League title-winning campaigns.

• Far more prominent in 2008/09, especially in the UEFA Champions League, but missed the final in Rome after being sent off in the second leg of the semi-final against Arsenal FC; he had been an unused substitute in the previous season's showpiece in Moscow.

• Made 29 league starts in 2009/10, the most of his career, a total he would have surpassed in United's title-winning campaign the following season had it not been for a combination of injury and illness during the run-in.