Peter Schmeichel has admitted that he was in awe at one famed member of the ‘Class of ‘92’ after his arrival at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 60-year-old Manchester United legend left Danish side Brondby in 1991 and completed a sensational move to Old Trafford for a fee of around £505,000.
Schmeichel is widely regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in Premier League history after his impact under Sir Alex Ferguson at United.
The Dane played a key role in the famous United team that pulled off a remarkable treble win in the 1998-99 season before he left Old Trafford in 1999.
During his time under Ferguson, Schmeichel captured five Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, three FA Cups and a League Cup under United.
Schmeichel on Class of ’92 star and Man Utd
Peter Schmeichel enjoyed incredible success during the 1990s at Old Trafford, which also saw the emergence of several breakout stars from the Class of ’92.
Sir Alex Ferguson paved the door for players from Manchester United’s youth academy to break into the first team and make a real name for themselves.
David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes were the key Class of ’92 players who enjoyed major success under Ferguson.
Speaking on the Stick to Football show, Schmeichel recalled his experience of arriving in England after United signed him from Brondby.
The United legend admitted that he had “never seen anything” like a 17-year-old Ryan Giggs, who would become a linchpin figure under Ferguson at Old Trafford.
Giggs spent the large majority of his United career under Ferguson and the Welshman had a long-lasting impact during his spell at the Red Devils.
“[When I joined Manchester United] For me, I was in paradise,” he said.
“We started off so well, we played well. I’m looking at these players I’m with like 17-year-old Ryan Giggs – I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.
“Andrei Kanchelskis was in the same hotel room as me, so we spent time together. I’d never heard of him, but when I saw him play for the first time – wow.
“I came in from Copenhagen and I was so early that I was the first one in the dressing room.
“Norman Davis picked me up in the gaffer’s car, I thought he was going to take me to the hotel so I can take my luggage there. I had packed for life!”
Schmeichel talks Giggs and Ferguson at Man Utd
Ryan Giggs would become United’s all-time leading appearance maker and lifted all 13 of the Red Devils’ Premier League titles under Ferguson before he retired.
The 50-year-old Welshman is widely considered one of the best players in Premier League history, with Giggs often praised for his emergence at United in the 1990s.
Schmeichel insisted that Ferguson knew that “something big” would happen after the likes of Giggs and other Class of ’92 members started making waves at United.
“They started to come in one by one, and the last one to come in was Bryan Robson, who was one of my biggest heroes and he was sitting next to me,” he added.
“I was really in paradise. To be honest, I didn’t think about the pressures about having not won [a league title since 1967], because Sir Alex was so adamant that this is the team that will win, and we are best prepared for the future.
“He’s already thinking about you guys [the Class of ‘92], and what point you will come into the equation.
“You’ve already got Ryan in there, and he knows that something big is going to happen for the club.”
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