Charlton backs Giggs to break record

BOBBY CHARLTON cannot wait for the opportunity to acclaim Ryan Giggs for snatching his Manchester United appearance record.

Charlton played 759 times for the Red Devils during an illustrious 20-year career, a figure which many pundits, including the man himself, thought would never be broken.

Now, it appears just a matter of time before the record is smashed as Giggs closes in.

The veteran Welshman is hoping to have recovered from a hamstring injury in time to feature in Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Everton at Goodison Park.

If Giggs makes the trip to Merseyside, he will move onto 722 appearances and with an extension to his current contract, which expires next summer, expected to be agreed in the coming months, there appears no reason why the 33-year-old should not eclipse Charlton’s record.

Charlton cannot think of a worthier recipient for the honour, and intends to pester the United board into letting him present Giggs with a momento of the occasion when he gets there.

“I would love it if Ryan got the record,” said Charlton. “It would be so fitting and I would be pleased to have the opportunity to go onto the pitch and present him with something. In fact, if they didn’t ask me, I would pester them until they did.

“When I finished I could not believe anyone would play more games than that. I did so much running for so many years, I just didn’t think it would be possible.

“But Ryan is almost there now. To physically put your body through what he has is very difficult and that is why I am so delighted for him.”