Jon: The goals, the collar, the aura… but the pass against Spurs at Old Trafford straight into the path of Dennis Irwin was majestic. The trophy was a beautiful Waterford Crystal vase on a separate mahogany frame.
We asked for your favourite memories of Manchester United legend Eric Cantona after Peter Schmeichel described him as a "shy" and "different" character. You can read his words lower down this page.
Here are some of your comments:
Jon: The goals, the collar, the aura… but the pass against Spurs at Old Trafford straight into the path of Dennis Irwin was majestic.
Rod: My most vivid memory was meeting him in a bar on Deansgate. We had played and beaten Liverpool away earlier in the day and there was Eric with his manager having a drink in a tapas bar - and talk about aura! You could feel his presence from far off. I reluctantly went up to him with a scrappy piece of paper and a cheap pen and asked him for an autograph for a mate - not even myself! And without a murmur he wrote a message to my mate Craig and with that I said thanks and walked away. More than 30 years later I still remember that encounter like it was yesterday.
Jason: My first ever match watching United, 20th November 1993 for my 18th birthday. We beat Wimbledon 3-1 and watching Eric was the highlight of the day. Just pure class!
Kev: Unquestionably it has to be Cantona's 1996 FA Cup winning volley against old rivals Liverpool, as a memory that sticks out the most. But also just the aura of the man on the pitch, no one has come close since. The upturned collar, the swagger...
Gerry: I was Chairman of Strabane Nortnern Ireland United Supporters club. We had been selected to present a trophy to Eric as our favourite player. The trophy was a beautiful Waterford Crystal vase on a separate mahogany frame. Eric was delighted with the trophy but as he turned to walk back to the dressing room, he tipped up the trophy as he thought it was attached to the base, which it wasn't. The trophy fell to the floor and smashed. He was very annoyed. However, the club arranged for another trophy and at another game, we successfully delivered the trophy to him again.
Rob: I remember his presence and swagger when I saw him at Carrington after training had finished, he signed a match day programme for my sister which she lost, heartbreakingly.
Category: General Sports
