The baby faced assassin was signed from Molde in July 1996. After a second failed attempt at signing Alan Shearer, Alex Ferguson snapped up the widely unknown Norwegian as a four man attacking line-up included the Norwegian alongside Eric Cantona, Andy Cole and Brian McClair. Solskjaer made a name for being a super sub and it is apt that his first United goal came in August 1996 on his debut, coming from the bench. The forward salvaged a point from a desperate situation at home to Blackburn Rovers. Solskjaer has made the second highest amount of substitute appearances in Manchester Uniteds history, scoring 28 from the bench in his 161 appearances. Those included four in twelve second half minutes away at Nottingham Forest in February 1999. Solskjaer would score sixteen league goals in his first season at the club, despite the established stars such as Brian McClair, Eric Cantona and Andy Cole. He ended the season with four goals from the final four league games as United lifted the Premier League title. In terms of the forward, he ranks as the clubs 16th highest goalscorer with 126 goals to his name for the club. This includes one of the most important kicks in the clubs history, in the last minute of the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp where the Norwegian scored the last minute winner. Adding to this crowning glory, Solskjaer lifted the FA Cup twice in the red of Man United as well as six Premier League titles, joining other Norwegians such as Henning Berg and Ronny Johnsen to lift the trophy.
I am an aspiring journalist with a degree in Media Studies and a passion for all things sport -- especially football and Manchester United. I am a former season ticket holder at Old Trafford and have been a Red Devil since 1998.
