“Wow! Deal with that”: Four-time PL winner with United opens up on fierce criticism from George Best

Former Manchester United Premier League winner Gary Pallister has opened up on the criticism he faced from a legend of the club. Pallister’s playing days The towering centre-back played 317 times for the Red Devils, scoring 12 goals. He joined the club in 1989 after five seasons at Middlesbrough. Pallister would later rejoin Boro in 1998 and spent the last three seasons of his career at the club. The centre-back won 15 major honours at Old Trafford, including four league titles. His partnership with Steve Bruce at the heart of the defence is often discussed as one of the best combinations in the club’s storied history. George Best criticism Modern players are no strangers to former players calling them out. There was controversy when Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes claimed Erling Haaland could treat United centre-back Lisandro Martinez “like a toddler” ahead of the Manchester derby in January. The United legends eventually had egg on their face though as the Argentine put in a defensive masterclass to keep Haaland quiet in a comfortable 2-0 win over the blue side of Manchester. Nonetheless, Pallister has revealed that this is something players have always had to deal with. The Daily Mail carries comments from the former England international recalling when he was at the heart of media scrutiny. Commenting on his record-breaking transfer for a defender in 1989, he claimed, Sir Alex Ferguson “had spent a shedload of money on five players and that season was pretty dire – apart from winning the FA Cup at the end of it.” He added, “dark times, tough times. So I’ve been where some of their players have been when the flak’s flying and you’re getting pointed at; articles in papers that you’re a waste of money, and what are you doing at Manchester United, all that kind of stuff.” Nonetheless, Pallister reflected that “it goes with the territory”, but it is futile for players to respond to it verbally. Pallister recalled, “I remember George Best doing an article on me saying I wasn’t up to scratch for Manchester United. Wow! Deal with that. I got to know George a bit later on down my path at United, but it’s hard to deal with when players of that ilk are having a go. You just get on with your job and believe in the talent that you have.” The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Alex Browne Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Alex has a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast and La Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain. Having lived in the country since 2011, Alex is The Peoples Person’s Spanish football expert and is fluent in both Spanish and Catalan. He dreams of witnessing a United captain triumphantly hoisting the Premier League and Champions League trophy in the air once more.