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In a quick scan of some old football statistics recently I noted that a few great players had faced each other at the opposite ends of their lengthy careers. This set me thinking about how far back you go by finding links between the smallest number of individuals.

Of the current set of Premier League players Ryan Giggs is one of the more celebrated and is now approaching 18 years at the very top of the game. Mental recollection told me that England goalkeeper Peter

Shilton would've appeared in one Giggs early matches and as he had made his debut in the 60s I knew there could be a corelation with Sir Stanley Matthews who retired at 50 years of age.

Using these three names to kick me off I started some more detailed research

Now, Ryan Giggs made his debut for Manchester United in 1991. In his first season he played against Derby County who had Peter Shilton playing in goal for them. Shilton made his debut for Leicester City as a 16 year old in May 1966 but he had been with the club as a youth since 1963. This meant that he was on the books when Sir Stanley Matthews played his last game in February 1965.

Matthews himself made his debut for Stoke City back in 1932 just as David
Jack's career at Arsenal was coming to a close. Jack was the first player ever to score at Wembley and was the first footballer in the world to be transferred for more than 10,000. As he made his debut for Plymouth Argyle in 1919 he almost certainly would've faced striker Billy Meredith who had played his last match in 1924. This was with Manchester City against Newcastle United in an FA Cup semi-final tie while at the tender age of 49 years and 245 days.

To bring the story full circle we should note that Meredith was born on 30 July 1874 just eight months short of 100 years before the birth of Ryan Giggs (29 November 1973). Curiously they were both Welsh and both played for Manchester United with Meredith also playing for the blue half of the town. In fact, in Billy's second game for Manchester City he was up against Newton Heath in what was the first ever Manchester derby. Newton Heath, of course, were later to be better known as Manchester United.

Giggs, Shilton, Matthews, Jack and Meredith played a total of 4143 games scoring 677 goals. These include 300 games and 37 goals at international level too. Between them they won a total of 16 League titles, 10 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 4 European Cups. In addition there was a further 11 Charity Shields, 2 European Super Cups, a second division title and a World Club Championship. Wow! Justwow!

These figures are set to rise still further as Giggs is still playing. This season alone there is potentially another Premiership title and a Champions League to be added and all the games and goals that go with that. Whatever the final figures will be these were/are five legendary players linked across 116 years of fabulous football.

PLAYER HONOURS

All total career stats include club and international games and goals. (figures as of 12/03/2009)

RYAN GIGGS

League Championships: 10

FA Cup: 4

League Cup: 3

European Cups: 2

World Club Cup: 1

European Super Cups: 1

Charity Shields: 7

Games: 792 Goals: 148

International Caps: 64 (12) - Wales

PETER SHILTON

League Championships: 1

League Cup: 1

European Cups: 2

European Super Cups: 1

Charity Shields: 2

Games: 1237 Goals: 1

International Caps: 125 (0) - England

SIR STANLEY MATTHEWS

FA Cup: 1

2nd Division Championship: 1

Games: 795 Goals: 81

International Caps: 54 (11) - England

DAVID JACK

League Championships: 3

FA Cups: 3

Games: 533 Goals: 260

International Caps: 9 (3) - England

BILLY MEREDITH

League Championships: 2

FA Cup: 2

Charity Shields: 2

Games: 788 Goals: 187

International Caps: 48 (11) - Wales

Learn more about this author, Jeremy Orbell.
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