The World's Greatest Keeper... a whole poem free!

United fans will be forever grateful to whoever suggested that Ferguson should sign Schmeichel. In teams through the Nineties that were packed with characters and leaders... (author's question... anyone know for how long - if ever - Robson, Keane and Ince played together and whether the opposition survived?), Schmeichel's almost-demented lordship of his penalty area was a class apart. Here's how Stan Warburton shares his appreciation...

The World’s Best Goalkeeper

I wonder if Fergie really knew what he had found,

When he signed a keeper for half a million pounds.

Peter Boleslaw Schmeichel was the keeper’s name,

And United’s defence would never again be the same.

At Six feet Four inches an absolute giant of a man,

Would ‘bawl’ at his defenders to keep them on plan.

Played for Brondby, a Danish first division side,

Had won the Danish League, four seasons out of five.

Had already played for the Danish National team,

And a U.E.F.A Cup semi final with Brondby, it seems.

But no fan had heard of him when he signed for the Reds,

Well Fergie had, but would he stand the test?

In Schmeichel’s first season United finished runners up,

But for the first time ever, won the Football League Cup.

The fans all loved him, right from the start,

They knew in the team’s success, he’d play a big part.

With Denmark he won the Euro tournament that year,

And was voted the World’s Best Goalkeeper, he had no peer.

And so The Great Dane became United’s number one,

He stood the test all right, all doubting was gone.

Won Premier League, with Schmeichel’s 22 clean sheets,

First league title for 26 years, so no mean feat.

Once again named World’s Best Keeper in 1993,

Fergie knew what he’d done when he signed him you see.

Schmeichel started attacks with his famous long throw,

He’d kick the ball into opponent’s penalty area you know.

Even scored a goal against Rotor Volgograd,

Went up for a corner, ………they say goalkeepers are mad!

Saved a Bergkamp penalty in the last minute of time,

Won the Cup and League with European still on line.

So United won the Treble in Nineteen Ninety Nine,

With a Peter Schmeichel cartwheel in celebration time.

The “Bargain of the Century,” said Fergie that year,

And after eight years at the top, Schmeichel said “cheers.”

At age of thirty five, the Great Dane moved on with a tear,

But Red fans know, the Best Keeper in the World, was here!