Five Manchester United legends you might not have heard of

#3 Sammy McIlroy

Mcllroy was the spearhead of the United team after their relegation from the top flight

It was the darkest day in Manchester United’s history, after relegation to the second division at the hands of bitter rivals Manchester City in 1974, but the exhilarating football in the Second Division title-winning season is still talked about in Manchester to this day.

The vibrant midfield maestro at the centre of this team was Sammy McIlroy, a plucky Northern Irishman who was impossible not to like. Manager Tommy Docherty had somewhat of a cull of older players following relegation, with McIlroy the figurehead of this new side.

The United team may not have won the league upon their return to the top flight until the formation of the Premier League, but the football remained enthralling, spearheaded by McIlroy for another six and a half seasons before joining Stoke. 71 United goals in his time at the club sums up the impact McIlroy had at Old Trafford. He went on to manage his country for three years after the turn of the century.