Eric Cantona is a name that will be remembered for a very long time at Old Trafford. The French footballer gave some great memories to the United fans, some good and some bad.

Born on 24^th May 1966 in Paris, brought about a very famous saying, "66 was a great year for English Football, Eric was born".

Eric came to Old Trafford in November 1992. Alex Ferguson who was trying to bring his first Championship to the club bought him. £1.2 million was the price for the controversial French player, he was bought from Leeds where he had just won his first English Championship medal.

In his first 60 games at Old Trafford, Manchester United lost only two games. That took United to their first league championship in 26 years and a year later he helped Fergies side to a Domestic Double, winning the League and FA Cup in the same season.

Cantona may have been looked up to by millions of people, including team-mates, but that didn't or couldn't stop his temperament, which on more than one occasion let him down.

1987 - Fined heavily for punching his own goalkeeper at Auxerre, he gave the goalie Bruno Martini a black eye in the process.

1988 - After calling the former French National coach a 'Shitbag' (Henri Michel), he was banned for a year.

1989 - The French FA had to yet again suspend the controversial French star after - kicking the ball into the crowd, throwing his shirt at the referee and storming off the pitch.

1990 - Hit his team-mate Jean Claude Lemoult with his football boots, and his club Montpellier therefore banned him for ten days, he returned to Marseille after the incident.

1991 - He was sold to Nimes where he was banned for three games after throwing the ball at the referee. At the disciplinary hearing he muttered the word "idiots". He was then asked to repeat himself and so walked up to each member of the three man board and shouted at each of them "Idiot". He was banned for two months and Cantona announced his retirement from football.

1993 - He was sent off at the end of Uniteds European game against Galatasaray in Turkey after accusing the referee of cheating. He was then involved in a bust up with police in the tunnel and he received a four match European ban.

1994 - In the two successive matches in March that year he was sent off. The games were against Arsenal and Swindon. (The sending off at Swindon was because of stamping on an opponent - John Moncur).

1994 - In a 1994/95 pre-season game, Cantona was sent off at Ibrox when playing against Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers. It was his fourth sending off in nine months and he got a three-match ban.

January 1995 - Dismissed in a game against Crystal Palace where he kicked out at an opponent. Then walking off the pitch the infamous Cantona act happened. He assaulted a fan, by throwing a kick at the Palace fan, Matthew Simmons, followed by a series of punches. He was fined £20,000 by Manchester United and received a ban until the end of the season, and later on he was fined another £10,000 and his ban was increased until September 30^th by the English Football Association. A court hearing sent Cantona to 2 weeks imprisonment, but he was then freed on bail and the sentence was reduced to 120 hours community service.

He may have been a complicated person on and off the pitch but that didn't fail to bring fans flocking to Old Trafford to watch his great and unpredictable game play. He was a football genius and when he was on the pitch everyone just watched in ore as he showed off what he did best. His passing was impeccable and his finishing astounding, it proved to be one of Alex Fergusons GREATEST ever buys.

CANTONAS CAREER.....

 Eric had an illustrious career. He moved from club to club to find which club suited him the most. He finally settled with Manchester United, and between the club and Eric there was a love affair. The club and the fans loved Eric Cantona, and Eric Cantona had finally found a stage where he could show off his footballing talents to the rest of the world.

Cantona helped United become champions on four occasions. This included the Double - double. Eric just played behind the front man, or men and filled in the gap between the attack and midfield. Over the years at Old Trafford he claimed this position and the number 7 shirt.

He formed a great partnership with Mark Hughes, and then a short but exciting striking partnership with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Andy Cole. He was such a unique player that nobody could figure out what trick he was going to pull next. His vision and awareness of the game provided him with the basic skills to allow him to go onto greater and bigger things.

Cantona scored many important goals for Manchester United. One of which everyone remembers is the goal in the 1996 FA Cup final. United needed a goal to clinch victory over Liverpool, United if they could do this would win their second double (The first ever team in history to do so). 10 minutes remained in the game and time was running out. But from a corner the ball was headed outwards towards Cantona, who hit the ball magnificently scored. YEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!