Patrice Evra appreciation thread

[Chris]

Patrice Evra is leaving Manchester United and has agreed to join Juventus after eight-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, the club has confirmed.
In a message to United fans on ManUtd.com, Patrice said: "After a great deal of thought I have decided the time is right for me to leave Manchester United. It is the biggest decision of my career as this club is, and will always remain, in my heart."

Evra made 379 appearances for United and scored 10 goals during nine successful seasons at Old Trafford, proving himself to be a hugely popular figure with team-mates and fans alike for his passion and commitment to the club.

The Frenchman joined United in January 2006 from Monaco, where, aged only 24, he became captain and appeared in the 2004 Champions League final. He arrived in Manchester with a reputation as an intelligent, attacked-minded full-back.

Initially he struggled to acclimatise to life in the Premier League and on his debut, a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, he was substituted at half-time. But after six months he began to make the left-back position his own ahead of Gabriel Heinze and helped the Reds clinch the league title in 2006/07. After that, he never looked was always among United’s top five appearance-makers in any given season.

Evra went on to win the Premier League five times, adding three League Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup. He was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on three occasions (2006/07, 2008/09 and 2009/10) and in 2009 he was included in the UEFA Team of the Year and the FIFA FIFPro World XI. He also deputised as United captain in the absence of Nemanja Vidic.

[traffordbrown]

[traffordbrown]

[Deleted]

www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2014/Jul/Patrice-Evra-statement-to-Manchester-United-fans.aspx?

Having agreed a deal to join Juventus from Manchester United and calling time on an illustrious nine-season career at Old Trafford, Patrice Evra released this statement to Reds supporters around the world...

"After a great deal of thought I have decided the time is right for me to leave Manchester United. It is the biggest decision of my career as this club is, and will always remain, in my heart.
Joining and playing for Manchester United has been a privilege, a dream come true and my time here has been so memorable. Through the good times and the bad times we have all stuck together and remained loyal. I have always said you don’t just join Manchester United, you join the family and long may that tradition continue.

"This club is steeped in history and I feel privileged to have become a part of that. Over the past nine years I have met and worked with some incredible people, many of whom will remain friends for life. I would like to thank everyone at the club - teammates, coaches and in particular all the staff who made every single day in Carrington or at Old Trafford a special day.

"An immense thank you to Sir Alex Ferguson for making it all possible, for giving me the privilege to be a captain, to be inspired by the legend of Manchester United and to understand that nobody is bigger than the club.

"My biggest thanks go to the fans. We have had some fantastic times together, we lifted all of those trophies together and that night in Moscow will live with us all forever. Every single time I stepped out in that shirt I knew I was playing for the badge and for a very special club.

"My passion for this club will live on and I know you guys will go on to enjoy more success in the coming seasons."

[Bestie]

Wow. I knew it was likely to happen but never truly believed it. Sad, sad news.

Really hope he isn't going to Juve right on the cusp of their wave too; would love to see him have a successful farewell in Italy. Big things happening at United this summer!

Thank you Patrice, for all of it.

[traffordbrown]

See, you can tell straight away from reading his statement: he IS United. He just gets it.

[Bestie]

It feels like we're not losing a player so much, as we are 'One of us' from the dressing room.

[redcase]

A bonafide legend and a leader of men. He just won't look right in any other shirt. But it was time for him to move on for a last hurrah, win a title elsewhere to cement his greatness.

In his prime - the greatest leftback in the world I would say. Without bias.

[Stew]

He's up there with Cantona and the Dane in terms of foreign players that truly understood Utd. A warrior in every sense, he was running on empty towards the end. But he kept running.

A proper legend. We'll miss him.

[mightyez]

Thank you Paddy brilliant servant to the club. Brilliant to the fans, brilliant to your teammates, brilliant to your mangers and coaching staff. Top man, hope the mrs loves Turin and your both happier there

[fletchabey]

A real shame hes going, would have been nice to keep an old head in the team with Vidic Rio and Giggs (kind of) gone. He was sublime for us for a good period, but we never really got same player back after the WC2010 strike debacle. Had a fantastic attitude though (here at least) and was such a real United player.

[king nothing]

Fuck me.

Thanks pat, I'll never forget you chomping that plastic arm. Good luck in Italy and check the pasta you can't trust em!!

[Stew]

Jul 21, 2014 16:33:00 GMT king nothing said:

Fuck me.

Thanks pat, I'll never forget you chomping that plastic arm. Good luck in Italy and check the pasta you can't trust em!!

That plastic arm was awesome. It was the kind of thing a fan would do. I loved his mocking of the waiter's 'it's over' when we scored the winner in 09 against Wigan. Pissed myself at that, cheeky little bugger.

He was a nut-job. Our nut-job.

[Kamilo]

Au Revior Patrice!

Lad who left his heart and soul on the pitch and our best winger over the past two years.

[Stew]

Jul 21, 2014 14:54:09 GMT traffordbrown said:

Lovely stuff. Just noticed that when the sub-humans came over looking for trouble 2 Utd players were right in the mix, Giggs and Evans. Jonny has gone up a notch for me. Good to see.