legend? Owen? Valencia? Phelan? Kanchelskis? Wallace? Blackmore? and they're just the last 6 I found



United's marketing bods have combined brain cells to invent the legend of the No 7 based on two of our greatest players predominately wearing it, along with another player who sometimes wore it.



Based on that logic, it's not much of a confidence boost for Asotasi or Higham.

Higham is a seasoned pro, he'll be both aware is time is limited and that Clark is more deserving of the 9 shirt.
Asotasi should be thankful we don't have American football sized squad numbers.

And for completeness and a sense of fairness in your argument, when were squad numbers introduced in Football? I'm sure Russell Bearsdmore also wore a 7 now and again, but, I don't think that supports your argument, it's just the way it was back in the 'old' days.

More recently Valencia couldn't handle the 7 shirt apparently so gave it up for a 25

Oh and these two greatest players you speak of and for a bit of counter balance to your Wallace/Kancheskis/Phelan/Blackmore misdirection, I'll throw in a few half decent 7's for you to chew over, Best, Cantona, Beckham, Robson, Ronaldo......I'm not sure if the current shirt owner Di Maria is all that, we will have to wait and see

On matters Wire why would Higham for example be worried about 14 he's worn it before and it's not an unusual number for hooking duties especially when we are lucky enough to have two first grade specialists rather than a half back or LF that must fill in at '9' now and again. May be Higham might have been concerned if the 9/14 shirt had gone to A N Other and he'd been allocated a random number in the 20's.

Talking of confidence boosts if GOB is in pole position to be our first choice '6' (I'm not saying he is or isn't that's a different argument), but, what a confidence boost it would be for TS to him to tell him that based on the end of season performances he's earned the right to wear the jersey, you're my '6' Gaz step up etc etc? In your world that would matter and I'd have to beg to differ.

That's my point. Higham will play the same next season if he's wearing 9. 14 or 243.



Blimey, I forgot about Ronaldo. My two were Cantona and Robson with Best wearing 11 probably as much as 7. I've even seen that he wore 8 on occasions as well. But who was to know that Ronaldo would go on to do what he has done. He was a direct replacement for Beckham and took his number. It's all a bit of coincidence anyway. Best would have worn it if he was playing on the right that day. I'm not sure why Robson wore it, probably because McIlroy was wearing 4 and Greenhoff 8. Cantona would have got it because all the other numbers around were taken by players who'd been at clubs for a few years and Robson was playing less of a part.

If a professional player needs to be given the right number for confidence, I doubt he'd make it in the first place. If TS wanted to boost his confidence, he could say to him now, Gaz, you're my number one choice for stand off next season. When it came to the first game of the season, he'd play the same with 20 as he would with 6.

i always picture robson wearing 12

Struggling to think of something I give less of a about. I imagine some players may have an issue with it but I'd imagine if you gave them the option of playing every game in a season they'd wear whatever number you wanted.

did he?

With the introduction of squad numbers for the 1993–94 Premier League, Robson was issued with the number 12 shirt, while the number 7 shirt that he had worn in virtually every game of his United career went to Eric Cantona instead.

All the more reason to offer the shirt on merit each match day

Absolutely. And for anyone who thinks it means nothing would anyone disagree that the 1-17 are not that the first choice at this stage?

It is a boost to those in the shirts through the pre-season slog and a challenge for those who are not.

At this risk of adding more noise to the thread...

The squad numbers are significant to a point. I've always noted that when it comes to our squad numbers, they're in line with what TS thinks his strongest (ideal) team is at that point in time - so I would put some level of importance towards them right now.

Obv the pecking order changes throughout the season through injuries and form - two years ago we had 8,9 + 10 consistently on the bench towards the end of the season, as Hill, Higham and Wood's respective form pushed them ahead of the other front rowers.

The following season Higham and Monas swapped numbers, as Higham had become the "first choice" hooker following on from his storming previous season and Mona's dip in form.

Before we signed Joel, there was a mysteriously empty hole at number 5, with Hicks being given 34. Hicks left before the start of the season, with Joel arriving and taking the conveniently vacant 5 shirt.

Bottom line - our squad numbers will tell you exactly what TS's ideal plans are (and no surprises to any of us either). Myler and Ratch are first choice halves, no more major signings, Big Roy has slipped backwards, and Penny won't get more than a few games in the cup and pre season.

Just a few examples from Man Utd where squad numbers didn't/don't matter.

Nemanja Vidić - 15
Roy Keane - 16
Paul Scholes - 18 (needed to be 22 when he came back though as Young had taken 1icon_cool.gif
Phil Neville - 12 (for the majority of his United career)
Dwight Yorke - 19

And currently

Robin van Persie - 20

Should scrap squad numbers. If you're chosen to play stand off on the day, you should wear 6 if your chosen to play loose, you wear 13. All this talk of 'its Tony's ideal team. It gives the lads not wearing 1-17 something to prove at training' I'm sorry but if no one had a number surely they'd all be fighting to play at the weekend anyway? It may even make them train harder knowing everyone has a blank shirt. Instead of them thinking to themselves 'oh well I'm number 24, I can't see me taking his shirt unless there's a miracle'.

Football is different, their 1-11 squad numbers won't usually be their first choice whereas in rugby league it typically is.

Scrap it.

Like moving on said.

Earn it...keep it.
That then is his squad number on merit.
He plays shat and then he looses it.

simples

It is the only way that the first choice starting 13 get the correct number

I wouldn't be surprised if Toby King emerges as the best centre at Warrington next season.

I was speaking about this to a sports psychologist last night who probably knows more about this than anyone on here.

He says that the squad numbers have little bearing on how players perform, especially for senior pros who have been playing for years. Apart from those who want numbers for superstitious reasons, the only people who are bothered about this is young players breaking into the squad and being given a squad number (any number) in the first place.

The thing that set me off was the comment about the confidence boost for Grix and he agreed with me that for someone like Grix, his number is irrelevant.

Looking at 1-13, it does look like our strongest team, so it's a boost now for the players who are in it as they will be thinking that if there are no injuries, they'll be playing the first game. But that's as far it goes and is no different to a manager naming any team a week before the match as the players picked would receive the same boost.

I can see 2 purposes, it makes players identifiable and sells shirts. I can't see any objection

Well as he agreed with you I suppose that's that then.

There's nothing like getting an expert to backup your argument

Yes, I would imagine that there's nothing quite like it and as he and you both obviously know more than most on here I stand corrected and if Ratchford gets the number 1 shirt in next year's 'Lotto' whilst Russell gets 24 then hey ho

I don't know more but he definitely does.

Your scenario's not going to happen but if it did and Tony Smith said to them both, Stefan, you're my first choice stand off and Matty, you're my first choice full back, then it wouldn't make any difference to their performances.

Skin tight shirts don't come cheap, and I'll bet Ben Harrison and Stefan Ratchford wouldn't fit into the same 13 shirt. Same goes for Joel Monaghan and Kevin Penny and a number of other alternatives.

The club don't have new shirts every week, this route would force that more often than not.

Plus, the cynic in my sees the kids getting Sims, Clark, Monaghan etc on their shirt, and the club scooping a couple of quid for a few stickers.

I would prefer to believe the players who play about whether the numbers mean anything or not.

Although do agree that it means more to the younger players than the guys who have been playing first team for years.

Anyway, number 25. New signing or someone promoted from the U19's? Where might we need strengthening?