Nicky Butt has dropped the ultimate compliment on one Manchester United legend that he shared the pitch with at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.
One of the famed Class of ’92 members, Nicky Butt rose through the Manchester United youth academy in the 1990s and enjoyed incredible success at Old Trafford.
The 49-year-old United legend made 385 appearances for the Red Devils and Butt scored 26 times and registered 20 assists during his time under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Butt lifted six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy and three FA Cups with the Red Devils before his exit from the Red Devils in 2004.
The former United midfielder, who signed for Newcastle in 2004, was also a key part of the famous treble-winning side in the 1998-99 campaign under Ferguson.
Butt talks up Man Utd legend
Speaking on Football’s Greatest podcast alongside former teammate Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt recalled his experience of sharing the locker room with Eric Cantona.
Key Class of ’92 members emerged at Old Trafford amid Eric Cantona’s sensational impact at Manchester United after he was signed from Leeds United in 1992.
A larger-than-life figure at United, the 58-year-old Frenchman was widely admired by Sir Alex Ferguson and had a long-lasting impact at Old Trafford.
“He [Cantona] was the ultimate professional in training and he loved being the main man on the stage,” Butt said.
“You saw him in the changing room, collar’s up, chest out. I looked at him and thought, if he’s in the team, we will win. A bit like with Roy Keane a few years later.
“What he did in his first game back since the ban [in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in 1995] was amazing.
“I remember going to a Player of the Year award or some function and I walked in with a suit and tie on. My tie was probably an inch loose because I drove in and didn’t want a tight tie.
“The gaffer [Ferguson] has gone, ‘Do your tie up… you look like a tramp!’ So I’ve done it and then Eric’s walked in with white jeans and Nike trainers on and a cap.
“The gaffer’s gone, ‘Look how cool he is, he’s some man him.’ I looked at him like, ‘What a p***k,’ you’ve told me to do my tie up by an inch!
“But that was Eric, wasn’t it? He was very different and the genius of the manager was he understood that. I didn’t back then.”
Butt on Cantona’s Man Utd comeback
Eric Cantona returned for United in the 1995-96 season after he was handed down a suspension of nine months for his infamous ‘kung-fu kick’ incident.
The United legend made his return against Liverpool and Cantona picked up an assist and scored for the Red Devils in the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in 1995.
Butt, who was set up by Cantona in the match, admitted that his former club teammate did not appear “fazed” ahead of his long-awaited comeback.
“But when you get older and do a bit of coaching and leadership courses you realise you have to treat people differently sometimes,” he continued.
“I remember looking at him in the dressing room before his comeback and he didn’t even look fazed.
“He was always at the same level until he snapped and then he went to a totally different level.
“Remember Galatasaray away? He stood up and walked towards their changing room on his own to fight one of their lads. He had completely gone.
“One time at Chester races he tried to go downstairs to fight loads of Liverpool fans!”
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