"The scourge of the scousers", "The Shankill Skinhead" - these kind of nicknames aren't just handed out to anyone and Norman Whiteside was fully deserving of each moniker. Don't be fooled by his movie star good looks - it's easy to assume that Whiteside was a dainty, midfield maestro skipping and hopping past tackles - the reality was anything but. The youngest player since Duncan Edwards to play for Man Utd, Whiteside made his debut at just 16, but quickly became a fan favourite due to his non-negotiable attitude in going into tackles fully expecting to win each one. At 6'2", he was the best tackler in the game in his day, and his physical style of play was as good as his eye for goal - the midfielder scored 47 goals in his 206 appearances between 19821989. Sadly, and maybe even predictably, Whiteside's career was ended at just 26 by a combination of injury and drinking problems following a two-year stint at Everton.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
