Ex-Man United star looks unrecognisable… so can you guess who the Old Trafford legend is?

Former Man United star looks unrecognisable as he has pint with a fan in a Manchester pub… but can you guess who the Old Trafford legend is?

  • A Manchester United legend has gone viral after being pictured with a fan
  • Supporters expressed surprise at the former United forward’s new look 
  • The ex-footballer spent 11 years at Old Trafford during his career

Manchester United fans have been left stunned by the appearance of one of the club’s former stars after he was pictured posing for a photo in a pub.

The ex-United forward spent 11 years at Old Trafford during his playing days, before returning to the club to spend 13 years on the coaching team.

But supporters were left struggling to recognise the former Scotland international after he was seen sporting a big bushy beard while drinking a pint alongside a fan at the Gold Cup pub in Manchester.

Fans were shocked at the appearance of this former Manchester United star, pictured right

Fans were shocked at the appearance of this former Manchester United star, pictured right

The photo of Brian McClair, 59, has gone viral, after fans struggled to recognise him.

McClair spent the majority of his United career clean shaven, as well as having brown hair. But he now has a long white beard and grey hair.

Several supporters have since reminisced about McClair’s successful United career, with the forward having played 471 times for the Reds, scoring 127 goals.

‘My hero and one of the most underrated strikers ever,’ one supporter said.

McClair was part of four Premier League title-winning sides during his time at Old Trafford

McClair was part of four Premier League title-winning sides during his time at Old Trafford

McClair spent 13 years coaching at Man United, including as the club's youth academy chief

McClair spent 13 years coaching at Man United, including as the club’s youth academy chief

BRIAN McCLAIR’S GLITTERING MAN UNITED TROPHY HAUL

Premier League: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97

FA Cup: 1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96

League Cup: 1991-92

Charity Shield: 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1990-91

UEFA Super Cup: 1991  

Another added: ‘Great player & adapted his style as time went on, class.’ 

‘Absolute belting bloke – he had a lot of time for us younger lads,’ one tweeted.

McClair became the first United striker to score 20 goals in a season since George Best, after scoring 24 times in his debut campaign following a move from Celtic in 1987.

The forward was part of four title-winning sides at Old Trafford, as well as lifting the FA Cup on three occasions, and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1991.

McClair also scored the winning goal in the UEFA Super Cup in 1991 against Red Star Belgrade, before repeating the feat the following year in the League Cup final against Nottingham Forest.

McClair, who was nicknamed ‘Choccy’, left United in 1998 to re-join his first club Motherwell before retiring.

He returned to Old Trafford in 2001 to join the coaching staff and served as the club’s youth academy chief until 2015.

More recently he has been hosting his own ‘Life with Brian’ podcast, with recent guests including ITV football presenter Mark Pougatch and boxer Anthony Crolla.

The podcast has 4,500 followers on Twitter and McClair, who calls himself a ‘former Celtic, Manchester United and Motherwell player and occasional raconteur’, has a further 57,300 followers.

He lives in Edinburgh and last year spoke to The Scotsman about a love for vinyl records and his Rega Planar 3 record player.

Speaking in 2018, McClair said he is working as an ambassador for a ‘betting co-operative’, despite ‘not being a big gambler’, and added: ‘I am also doing other bits and pieces, like freelancing – coaching, questions and answers stuff.

‘I am enjoying nobody trying to tell me what to do.’ 

He continues to keep up links with his former club United and, in November, attended an event in Cheltenham with fellow club legends Andy Cole and Bryan Robson.

McClair poses in a suit in a recent photo on his Twitter account, which has 57,300 followers

McClair poses in a suit in a recent photo on his Twitter account, which has 57,300 followers