Denis Irwin's chess battles with Eric Cantona didn't last long

The Corkman was ranked at 46 in FourFourTwo's top 100 players of the Premier League era

Wed, 13 Jan, 2021 - 13:45

David Sneyd

Denis Irwin has lifted the lid on what it was like to play Eric Cantona in chess, why the Manchester United Treble vintage of 1999 just edge out the ’94 league and FA Cup winners, as well as the feeling of scoring a wonder free-kick at Anfield.

In an interview with FourFourTwo magazine, in which the Togher native was voted 46th of the top 100 players in the Premier League era, the former Old Trafford stalwart attempted to explain what separated two of Alex Ferguson’s greatest sides.

As one of the few to bridge the generational divide, along with Peter Schmeichel, Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane, Irwin is well placed to pass judgment.

“The 1994 team was physical, powerful and difficult to beat,” Irwin told FourFourTwo. “The league was much more physical, and football changed between ’94 and ’99.

“The ’94 side weren’t as easy on the eye as the ’99 team, and there weren’t as many options, but we had guts and won the Double.

“I loved playing with that team, and the XI was pretty set. Nothing can top ’99 — we had drive in abundance, and goalscorers all over the pitch. I’m on the few that played in both teams, but that ’94 side was a joy to play in.”

The arrival of Cantona from Leeds United in ’92 proved the catalyst for Ferguson ending that 26-year league title famine.

Glory on the pitch quickly followed but, off it, Irwin and the Frenchman had their own chess rivalry, although the 55-year-old was quick to debunk the myth that he was an Irish champion while a student in Coláiste Chríost Rí.

“I wasn’t a national chess champion. I played for my school and we finished in the national championship.

“I was a decent chess player, don’t worry about that. I used to play Eric, but games wouldn’t last long,” Irwin added cheekily, before revealing his current TV show of choice.

“I’ve been watching the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix.”

The pieces have fallen into place perfectly for United as they visit champions Liverpool on Sunday. Irwin’s old teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has his side on top of the table knowing a win at Anfield would stretch their lead at the top to six points.

Irwin has bittersweet memories on that half of Merseyside, picking up a yellow card there which ruled him out of one leg of that ’99 Treble — the FA Cup final — while scoring a stunning free-kick in January 1994 en route to securing back-to-back championships.

“Liverpool had been dominant during the ’70s and ’80s. They had their time, and Arsenal had also won the league a couple of times.

“But we still needed to win the league, and were well placed when we finally did: the ground was expanded, the merchandise sold.

“When I joined the club, the physio handed us hats from one of his mate’s firms – Morson – for the celebration photos whenever we won trophies. Imagine that now!”

The new issue of FourFourTwois out now.