Ryan Giggs: We look back at his 29 years at Manchester United

By Patrick Surlis

Image: Giggs was Louis van Gaal's assistant manager

After Ryan Giggs parted company with Manchester United, we look back at his 29 years with the club.

The former winger spent the last two seasons as Louis van Gaal's assistant but, following the Dutchman's sacking and Jose Mourinho's subsequent appointment, Giggs has decided to leave the club he has been at since the age of 14.

Back in 1987 the Welshman joined United as a schoolboy, starting a journey that would lead to a club-record 963 appearances, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and four FA Cups.

To celebrate his 29 years at the club, Sky Sports takes a look at 29 facts that help define his remarkable time at United...

Image: Ryan Giggs: Picked up the PFA's merit award earlier this year

- Giggs joined Manchester United on November 29, 1987, the day he turned 14, having previously trained with Manchester City.

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- Giggs said in 2008 that he once turned up to City's School of Excellence on Platt Lane wearing a red shirt and was made to take it off. 

- Giggs was offered his first professional contract on the day he turned 17 - November 29, 1990.

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- Giggs made his debut as a first-half substitute for the injured Denis Irwin against Everton in March 1991. United lost the match 2-0.

Image: Giggs scored on his full league debut against Man City

- He scored his first senior goal on his full league debut against Man City in a 1-0 win for United at Old Trafford two months later.

- That was the first of 672 top-flight appearances for the Red Devils (Division One and Premier League), of which 117 came as a substitute.

- He made 632 Premier League appearances, the most in the competition's history.

- Giggs scored in all but one of his 22 seasons in the first-team - despite making 22 appearances during his final campaign (2013/14), he failed to find the net.

Image: Giggs is United's all-time record appearance maker

- He took charge as interim player-manager following David Moyes' departure, and made his final appearance for United in a 3-1 victory over Hull City at Old Trafford in May 2014. Giggs brought himself on to replace Tom Lawrence after 70 minutes.

- He ended his career with 109 Premier League goals, two more than former team-mate Paul Scholes. That places him 20th in the league's all-time scoring list.

- In the top 20 all-time Premier League top scorers, only two players who have played for a single Premier League club have scored more - Thierry Henry for Arsenal (175) and Steven Gerrard for Liverpool (120).

Image: Then interim manager, Giggs brought himself on for his final appearance against Hull in 2014

- His club-record 963 appearances is 205 more than second-place Sir Bobby Charlton.

- He surpassed Charlton's mark of 758 appearances on the same night he won his second Champions League - in Moscow on May 21, 2008 as United beat Chelsea on penalties.

- Giggs scored what proved to be the decisive spot-kick in that penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea.

- In total, he hit 168 goals for the club - good enough for sixth on United's all-time goalscoring chart, and 11 behind George Best in fifth.

Image: Giggs came on as a second-half substitute as he won his second Champions League trophy in Moscow

- His total of 13 Premier League goals during the 1993/94 season was the highest single-season tally of his career.

- Giggs won 34 trophies as a player, making him the most decorated in English football history.

- United beat Red Star Belgrade in the 1991 European Super Cup to earn Giggs his first senior trophy, while his last came in the 2013 Community Shield. United beat Wigan 2-0 at Wembley.

- He was twice named PFA Young Player of the Year (1991/92, 1992/93), and was named in the PFA Team of the Year six times (1992/93, 1997/98, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2006/07, 2008/09).

Image: Giggs scored United's first Champions League group stage goal in 1994

- Giggs never received a red card while playing for United, although he did get sent off for Wales against Norway in 2001 after two yellow cards.

- Only Iker Casillas (156), Xavi (151) and Raul (142) have made more Champions League appearances (141).

- Giggs is the only player to score in 16 different Champions League campaigns. He scored his first in 1994 against IFK Goteborg and his last against Benfica September 2011.

- His strike against Goteborg after 33 minutes on September 14, 1994 was United's first Champions League group stage goal. He added a second in the same game shortly after as United beat their Swedish opponents 4-2.

Image: Giggs celebrates FA Cup success with Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes and Andrew Cole

- His goal against Benfica, at 37 years and 290 days, briefly made Giggs the oldest scorer in Champions League history, but Francesco Totti's strike against Man City in September 2014 broke that record. Totti was 38 years and three days.

- France legend and current Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane once said of Giggs: "If he was French, I would have been on the bench!"

- Giggs holds the record for Premier League assists with 162.

- Giggs was given an OBE for his services to football in 2007.

- Giggs retired from playing in May 2014 at the age of 40.

- Manchester United have won just one trophy since he hung up his boots - the FA Cup in 2016.

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