10 Shocking Man Utd Departures That Nobody Expected

2. Eric Cantona

The fallout was similar to when Robbie left Take That. When the Gallagher brothers realised they€™d had enough of each other€™s company. When Justin Bieber crushed music lovers€™ everywhere by announcing an early retirement last Christmas. Well, maybe it wasn€™t similar to the last example, but Eric Cantona€™s decision to quit Manchester United was as abrupt as it was shell-shocking for the Old Trafford faithful. The man was a week shy of his 31st birthday when he announced that football was no longer in his plans, and that he would be hanging up his boots with a year still left to run on his contract. The bombshell thoroughly rocked a frenetic support that were still doused in celebratory champagne from the 96/97 title success, and Sir Alex Ferguson couldn€™t hide his obvious disappointment at losing a mercurial talent who had instigated a wave of success at the club.

''It۪s a sad day for United. I know Eric was particularly disappointed after the European semi-final to Dortmund. We were all disappointed. He wasn۪t the only one in the boat but you wondered how he was ever going to get over it. We were all gutted. We all felt we should have been in the final. That was the general mood around the club and not just with Eric. When he came to see me on Wednesday, I got the impression that his position was unequivocal. I knew deep down that, no matter the things I was saying to him, he wasn۪t prepared to take them on board. I knew what I said I couldn۪t make him change his mind.۪۪ - Sir Alex Ferguson, May 1997.

The icon, emblem and crown jewels of Old Trafford had left the building. Long live the King.