9 Newcastle Fans Who Should Have Played For The Club

5. Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick has probably surprised even himself that he has lasted an entire decade at Old Trafford. When he first rocked up at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2006, he was deemed an underwhelming successor to Roy Keane and not fit to take the hallowed number 16 shirt. Carrick has grown into the role however, and made that central midfield berth his own. He has proved an integral cog in the Man United midfield and has been instrumental to their success on both a domestic and European level. If only Newcastle had snaffled him up.

The Geordie used to turn up at the Gallowgate every week to cheer on his heroes as a youngster, but he slipped through the club’s fingers during the 90’s when Kevin Keegan dismantled the reserve team. West Ham were quick to capitalise, with the youngster rejecting his hometown club’s’ offer of a deal to stay on.

“I had the chance to sign for them when I was younger but I chose to move away from home and go to London with West Ham, which was a big decision at the time but thankfully it worked out for me. It was close though.” - Michael Carrick, March 2015.