No club outside of the Irish League have fielded more (Northern) Ireland international players than Manchester United - an impressive total of 29 have been capped while at the club. In what will become a comprehensive club-by-club analysis, NIFG looks at the players capped while at, before signing for, or after leaving United. Also we will present a brief history of the club, so that each player can be gauged based on the era in which they played... 
Founded: 1878
Previous Names: Newton Heath (1878-1902)
Grounds: 1880, North Road, Monsall Road; 1893, Bank Street; 1910-date, Old Trafford; 1941-1949, Maine Road (due to bomb damage to Old Trafford during World War Two)
League History:
Founder members of Football Alliance 1889/90-1891/92; Football League Division One 1892/93-1893/94; Division Two 1894/95-1905/06; Division One 1906/07-1921/22; Division Two 1922/23-1924/25; Division One 1925/26-1930/31; Division Two 1931/32-1935/36; Division One 1936/37; Division Two 1937/38; Division One 1938/39-1973/74; Division Two 1974/75; Division One 1975/76-1991/92; FA Premier League 1992/93-date.
Club Honours:
FA Premier League Champions (13) 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2012/13.
Football League Champions (7) 1907/08, 1910/11, 1951/52, 1955/56, 1956/57, 1964/65, 1966/67.
(English League Champions a record 20 times)
Division Two Champions (2) 1935/36, 1974/75.
FA Cup Winners (11 a record) 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004, Runners-Up (7) 1957, 1958, 1976, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2007.
Football League Cup Winners (4) 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010, Runners-Up (4) 1983, 1991, 1994, 2003.
FA Charity Shield Winners (20) 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 (*4 shared). (Renamed 'FA Community Shield' from 2002)
European/International Competitions:
European Cup Winners (1) 1967/68; entrants 1956/57 (sf), 1957/58 (sf), 1965/66 (sf), 1968/69 (sf).
Champions League Winners (2) 1998/99, 2007/08; Runners-Up 2008/09, 2010/11; entrants 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97 (sf), 1997/98, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14.
European Cup Winners' Cup Winner (1) 1990/91; entrants 1963/64, 1977/78, 1983/84, 1991/92.
Inter Cities Fairs Cup entrants 1964/65.
UEFA Cup entrants 1976/77, 1980/81, 1882/83, 1984/85, 1992/93, 1995/96.
Super Cup Winners (1) 1991, Runners-Up (2) 1999, 2008.
Intercontinental Cup Winners (1) 1999, Runners-Up 1968.
FIFA World Club Championship Winners (1) 2008, entrants 2000.
Players capped by the Irish FA while at Manchester United (to start 2011/12 season)
........................Utd........League...........Caps 
Player.............. Career*** ..App(sb)/Gls ...at Utd. Total
Sammy McIlroy....... 1971-1981 ..320(22)/ 57 ... 52 ... (88)
Jimmy Nicholl....... 1974-1981 ..188 (9)/. 3 ... 41 ... (73)
Norman Whiteside.... 1981-1988 ..193(13)/ 47 ... 36 ... (38)
George Best......... 1963-1973 ..361 (0)/137 ... 32 ... (37)
Jonny Evans**....... 2006-date .. 45 (3)/. 0 ....27 ... (27)
Dave McCreery....... 1974-1978 .. 48(39)/. 7 ... 23 ... (67)
Mal Donaghy......... 1988-1991 .. 76(13)/. 0 ... 18 ... (91)
Harry Gregg......... 1957-1966 ..210 (0)/. 0 ... 16 ... (25)
Chris McGrath....... 1976-1980 .. 12(16)/. 1 ... 16 ... (21)
Jackie Blanchflower. 1951-1957 ..105 (0)/ 26 ... 12 ... (12)
Jim Nicholson....... 1960-1962 .. 58 (0)/. 5 ... 10 ... (41)
Football League Cup Winners (4) 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010, Runners-Up (4) 1983, 1991, 1994, 2003.
FA Charity Shield Winners (20) 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 (*4 shared). (Renamed 'FA Community Shield' from 2002)
European/International Competitions:
European Cup Winners (1) 1967/68; entrants 1956/57 (sf), 1957/58 (sf), 1965/66 (sf), 1968/69 (sf).
Champions League Winners (2) 1998/99, 2007/08; Runners-Up 2008/09, 2010/11; entrants 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97 (sf), 1997/98, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14.
European Cup Winners' Cup Winner (1) 1990/91; entrants 1963/64, 1977/78, 1983/84, 1991/92.
Inter Cities Fairs Cup entrants 1964/65.
UEFA Cup entrants 1976/77, 1980/81, 1882/83, 1984/85, 1992/93, 1995/96.
Super Cup Winners (1) 1991, Runners-Up (2) 1999, 2008.
Intercontinental Cup Winners (1) 1999, Runners-Up 1968.
FIFA World Club Championship Winners (1) 2008, entrants 2000.
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| Harry Gregg Jimmy Nicholl, Jonny Evans, Jackie Carey, Mal Donaghy George Best, Jimmy Nicholson, Dave McCreery, Sammy McIlroy Norman Whiteside, Jackie Blanchflower |
Player.............. Career*** ..App(sb)/Gls ...at Utd. Total
Sammy McIlroy....... 1971-1981 ..320(22)/ 57 ... 52 ... (88)
Jimmy Nicholl....... 1974-1981 ..188 (9)/. 3 ... 41 ... (73)
Norman Whiteside.... 1981-1988 ..193(13)/ 47 ... 36 ... (38)
George Best......... 1963-1973 ..361 (0)/137 ... 32 ... (37)
Jonny Evans**....... 2006-date .. 45 (3)/. 0 ....27 ... (27)
Dave McCreery....... 1974-1978 .. 48(39)/. 7 ... 23 ... (67)
Mal Donaghy......... 1988-1991 .. 76(13)/. 0 ... 18 ... (91)
Harry Gregg......... 1957-1966 ..210 (0)/. 0 ... 16 ... (25)
Chris McGrath....... 1976-1980 .. 12(16)/. 1 ... 16 ... (21)
Jackie Blanchflower. 1951-1957 ..105 (0)/ 26 ... 12 ... (12)
Jim Nicholson....... 1960-1962 .. 58 (0)/. 5 ... 10 ... (41)
Corry Evans*........ 2008-2010 ... 0 (0)/. 0 ... 11 ... (12)
Tommy Jackson....... 1975-1976 .. 18 (1)/. 0 .... 9 ... (35)
Roy Carroll......... 2001-2004 .. 46 (3)/. 0 .... 8 ... (19)
David Healy*........ 2000..... ... 0 (1)/. 0 .... 7 ... (87)
Phil Mulryne........ 1997-1998 ... 1 (0)/. 0 .... 7 ... (27)
Jackie Carey........ 1937-1952 ..301 (0)/ 16 .... 7 .... (7)
Trevor Anderson..... 1972-1973 .. 13 (6)/. 2 .... 6 ... (22)
Tommy Breen......... 1936-1938 .. 65 (0)/. 0 .... 5 .... (9)
Pat McGibbon........ 1995..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 5 .... (7)
Keith Gillespie..... 1992-1994 ... 3 (6)/. 1 .... 3 ... (86)
Mickey Hamill....... 1911-1913 .. 57 (0)/. 2 .... 3 .... (7)
Walter McMillen..... 1933-1934 .. 27 (0)/. 2 .... 3 .... (7)
Tommy Sloan......... 1978-1980 ... 4 (7)/. 0 .... 3 .... (3)
Roy Carroll......... 2001-2004 .. 46 (3)/. 0 .... 8 ... (19)
David Healy*........ 2000..... ... 0 (1)/. 0 .... 7 ... (87)
Phil Mulryne........ 1997-1998 ... 1 (0)/. 0 .... 7 ... (27)
Jackie Carey........ 1937-1952 ..301 (0)/ 16 .... 7 .... (7)
Trevor Anderson..... 1972-1973 .. 13 (6)/. 2 .... 6 ... (22)
Tommy Breen......... 1936-1938 .. 65 (0)/. 0 .... 5 .... (9)
Pat McGibbon........ 1995..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 5 .... (7)
Keith Gillespie..... 1992-1994 ... 3 (6)/. 1 .... 3 ... (86)
Mickey Hamill....... 1911-1913 .. 57 (0)/. 2 .... 3 .... (7)
Walter McMillen..... 1933-1934 .. 27 (0)/. 2 .... 3 .... (7)
Tommy Sloan......... 1978-1980 ... 4 (7)/. 0 .... 3 .... (3)
Oliver Norwood*..... 2010-2012.... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 3 .... (3)
Sammy McMillan...... 1961-1962 .. 15 (0)/. 6 .... 2 .... (2)
Davy Lyner.......... 1922..... ... 3 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (6)
Ronnie Briggs....... 1960-1961 ... 9 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (2)
Billy Crooks........ 1922..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (1)
Other United players capped by IFA
Colin Murdock....... 1996..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 0 ... (34)
John Peden#......... 1893..... .. 28 (0)/. 7 .... 0 ... (24)
Tommy Morrison...... 1902-1903 .. 29 (0)/. 7 .... 0 .... (7)
Pat O'Connell....... 1914..... .. 34 (0)/. 2 .... 0 .... (5)
Jackie Scott........ 1952-1955 ... 3 (0)/. 0 .... 0 .... (2)
Harry Baird......... 1936-1937 .. 49 (0)/ 15 .... 0 .... (1)
Tom Connell......... 1978..... ... 2 (0)/. 0 .... 0 .... (1)
Sammy McMillan...... 1961-1962 .. 15 (0)/. 6 .... 2 .... (2)
Davy Lyner.......... 1922..... ... 3 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (6)
Ronnie Briggs....... 1960-1961 ... 9 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (2)
Billy Crooks........ 1922..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 1 .... (1)
Other United players capped by IFA
Colin Murdock....... 1996..... ... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 0 ... (34)
John Peden#......... 1893..... .. 28 (0)/. 7 .... 0 ... (24)
Tommy Morrison...... 1902-1903 .. 29 (0)/. 7 .... 0 .... (7)
Pat O'Connell....... 1914..... .. 34 (0)/. 2 .... 0 .... (5)
Jackie Scott........ 1952-1955 ... 3 (0)/. 0 .... 0 .... (2)
Harry Baird......... 1936-1937 .. 49 (0)/ 15 .... 0 .... (1)
Tom Connell......... 1978..... ... 2 (0)/. 0 .... 0 .... (1)
Craig Cathcart ................... 0 (0)/. 0 .... 0 .... (6)
* Still active player
** Still a Manchester United player
*** First team career, 1972=1972/73
# John Peden was 'technically' a Newton Heath player when he played in all three games of the 1893 Home Nations tournament, his registration having been lodged with the Football League that February. However, English-based players were not permitted to play for Ireland until 1899, and in any case, he didn't make his first League appearance until September 1893.
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James Robinson (1919-1921, 21/3, also Junior International) was born in Belfast, but never capped as a 'Full' international.
Willie Walsh, who went on to win caps while at Manchester City, first arrived in England as an amateur with United.
A number of other players have been capped at Youth level while at United, but never made the first team. Notable among these is Linfield manager, David Jeffrey.
* Still active player
** Still a Manchester United player
*** First team career, 1972=1972/73
# John Peden was 'technically' a Newton Heath player when he played in all three games of the 1893 Home Nations tournament, his registration having been lodged with the Football League that February. However, English-based players were not permitted to play for Ireland until 1899, and in any case, he didn't make his first League appearance until September 1893.
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James Robinson (1919-1921, 21/3, also Junior International) was born in Belfast, but never capped as a 'Full' international.
Willie Walsh, who went on to win caps while at Manchester City, first arrived in England as an amateur with United.
A number of other players have been capped at Youth level while at United, but never made the first team. Notable among these is Linfield manager, David Jeffrey.
In recent years Conor Devlin and Joe Dudgeon have earned Under-21 caps while Manchester United players, though neither featured in the first team. Previously, Jimmy Nicholl, Dave McCreery, Pat McGibbon, Keith Gillespie, Phil Mulryne, David Healy, Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart, Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood all won Under-21 caps while at Old Trafford.
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