With a combined age of 145 by the end of the 2010 season against Stoke City for Edwin Van der Sar, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville perhaps party is not the word.
Maybe a sit down farewell meal and a pot of tea and cakes more like!
It could well be that United's lauded Dad's Army could all be demobbed at the same time.
The Dutchman, the Welshman and the two Englishman have amassed a combined total number of United appearances of 2172. They have a joint Old Trafford collection of 80 medals.
All had their one-year United contracts extended during the last season that will expire next summer. For the Reds' veteran quartet, the end of the playing road is nigh.
It is unlikely that all four will emerge from chief executive David Gill's office during the next campaign successfully brandishing another 12-month playing contract with the Reds.
Possibly only one will be able to squeeze another year out of his body.
The two oldest Van der Sar and Giggs, ironically, had the most impact on last season and both started the Champions League final in Rome against Barcelona.
Van der Sar is now stealing himself for a swansong battle with the up-and-coming Ben Foster.
Foster has got to rid himself of the unwanted tag as injury-prone. He came through a second cruciate knee ligament injury of his career the season previous.
But a broken thumb on the eve of United travelling to Japan last winter cost him a possible FIFA Club World Cup outing and then a thumb ligament op towards the end of the season saw him miss out on the bench seat earmarked for him in Rome.
Future
But his Carling Cup final display and Sir Alex Ferguson claiming he was the future for club and country, indicates that the No1 role is for Foster to throw away.
Van der Sar didn't play a single minute of United's Carling Cup run and final triumph and only played a couple of FA Cup games. He was rested for five Premier League matches.
It could well be as the new season progresses that shift in 'keeper power will be reversed and Foster will play the big matches.
Gary Neville, too, has a huge battle on his hands to make up the 30 appearances he needs to join Old Trafford's 600 club.
The competition is fiercer than ever for the right back role with Brazilian teenage Rafael da Silva making a big impact last season. John O'Shea then grabbed the shirt and produced some of his best form of his United career in the berth.
Wes Brown will also be back from a season of ankle injury misery following the 2007-08 campaign that was his best ever.
Though captain Neville has expressed his desire to carry on, his position in the pecking order sadly became evident after returning from a groin injury. He appeared in only five of the last 14 matches and didn't make the 17 on duty in the Champions League Cup final.
Battle
He won a magnificent battle to return from his ankle ligament injury in 2007 and it will take all his famed gritty determination to better his match time from this term.
Paul Scholes has hinted that August will be the start of his goodbye term and the midfielder has surprisingly even begun considering a coaching role when his playing career ends.
Stoke City were reported to be keen for the 34-year-old to enjoy his twilight years at the Britannia Stadium but manager Tony Pulis has claimed he doesn't know where the story originated.
Having been the goalscoring hero against Barcelona 12 months previous in the Champions League semi-final, he didn't appear in the two semis against Arsenal this season and only went on as a sub in Rome.
Ryan Giggs was the only member of the Class of '92 who started against Barca in the Stadio Olimpico in May.
He was the original senior member of that famous golden era of United's home-produced talent and is proving to be the most resilient.
United's most decorated and the club's all-time No1 appearance maker was the PFA Player of the Year.
But he did make 45 appearances this season. However, that is likely to decrease in the new campaign.
On the evidence of this term though he looks like he might be the only one of the quartet who may have a case for a contract extension.
The next age group like Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra have got a lot to live up to.
Do you think Neville, Giggs, Scholes and Van der Sar have more than one year left, and how can the Reds replace them? Have your say.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Frank Old Trafford (19/06/2009 at 11:01)
Gary Breen (19/06/2009 at 11:19)
james cromley, stockport (19/06/2009 at 11:58)
The Man frae Govan (19/06/2009 at 12:03)
We all get a little older and it's called a peak because you only hit it for a short time and then start dropping again but to have this attitude towards players who have given blood, sweat and tears for this club is incredible - What does "Frank" rhyme with, I wonder????????
tooth&claw, manchester (19/06/2009 at 12:08)
Red Apache, Didsbury (19/06/2009 at 12:22)
Giggs will get another 1 year contract. Van der Sar will also earn a 1 year contract and playing back up to Foster or (rumour of Valdes)
and G.Neville moving up into coaching also next summer.
Frank Old Trafford (19/06/2009 at 12:30)
My argument over has been that these long, long, long serving players and their salaries are a factor in young talented players not getting a fair crack and a barrier to the development of the team.
Frank Old Trafford (19/06/2009 at 12:32)
skh,pj, Malaysia (19/06/2009 at 12:41)
use-by-date to leave?They have been amply rewarded over the years and they
should go away of their own accord if they have the interests of the club at heart.
danny, WILMSLOW (19/06/2009 at 12:50)
reddevil4ever, India (19/06/2009 at 13:15)
Are you saying we EPL Senior league to please you.
Have been watching recent perfomances by the seniors. Only VDS is fit to be in the starting eleven. Giggsy can still turn in a stellar show coming in as a late sub.
The great Scholesy and Gary are finished. Did you see Gary's last match, he was busy fouling the opposition since he has become slow. Gary has also damaged the club when he was given the job of talking to prospective signings(a Cardiff player).
These four are my heroes, would you like them to become zeroes and go out after dropping to an all time low.
Are you really fond of these guys, I doubt it, do you care for these chaps more than our club, maybe that's your problem.
Tevez's talks have stalled on a salary amount. We have the money now to buy into the market also.
Most important is we need to play Nani regularly and assure him of a starting place.
Gilly, Belgium (19/06/2009 at 13:30)
Giggs , Scholsey , and definately Neville !
VDS maybe one more year still left !
Rob Lawrence (19/06/2009 at 14:01)
unitedeverywhere (19/06/2009 at 14:12)
boyfromburrenway, exile czech republic (19/06/2009 at 14:22)
id have scholes on the training pitch every day with anderson carrick and fletcherand aprk and gibson teaching them how to shoot, ball coming across your body left to right -right to left , on the half volley on the full volley how to feint and make room for a shot..how to hit a pass 10-20 30 yards....drill them day after day after day the basics ..so basic in fact you wonder why they cant do it .. look at lampard 10 times the player he was 5-6 seasons ago....hard work and practice as he says himself
id have giggs with tosic, wellbeck , nani, tevez if he stays,.and show them .how to kill a ball first touch and then move in opposite direction with it from where it came, how to drop the shoulder and go past someone ...
in their day there were peerless at the above
and maybe also get 15 games in a season carling and fa cup.....
nev can hang around to motivate and keep some of these kids from gettign too big headed
Raju, Katmandu (19/06/2009 at 16:34)
Back after a car accident in the mountains. Broke the collar bone, a couple of ribs, fractured the right leg, broke and dislocated the hip, had a femural head fracture.
Thankfully, the B&B Hospital stuck a tv on the wall in my room so was able to catch all matches. The CL final took place midnight our time and though the nurses didn't actually turn off the tv, 2-0? Ah, well. Then the CR7 story broke on BBC. Missed this forum badly. Good to be back home, with the dogs, on the internet, and on this forum.
Raju, Katmandu (19/06/2009 at 16:38)
hughesy80, London/Manc (19/06/2009 at 17:12)
Its about having a good squad these days, and in a squad of 24 or so players you need a few old heads around. I'm not saying that any of them would still get into the best 11, but they have been loyal servants to United for yrs and deserve to be shown respect.
EVDS is still one of the best keepers in the Premiership despite being 54. Giggsy won the PFA player of the yr last season. Scholes, on his day, which fair enough are not that often these days, can be one of the best midfielders in the league, and who better to show young full backs Rafael and Fabio the ropes than a man who has won everything there is to win in football.
Scholes and Neville will step down next summer, Giggsy the year after, lets get behind them whilst they are still in the squad as they'll be missed when they are gone.
Leave the slating of your own players to the bitters, United fans are better than that!!
Stivius, Lecale (19/06/2009 at 17:26)
Mitch van Biljon (19/06/2009 at 19:50)
We all want Manchester United to be successful and to that end I also support the ending of the careers of Neville, Scholes, Giggs etc. This day had to come, it in inevitable. Let's move on with the next group of youngsters. I do not believe anyone is showing disrespect if hoping the likes and Giggs and Scholes are retired as they deserve to be. They had their time and what a time it was. The best approach is to honor them for their contribution, and history will ensure this is the case, and bring in another great era. Hopefully Ferguson still has that passion.
Gerry, Glastonbury (19/06/2009 at 20:06)
There's plenty of call for them as we look to retain the Carling cup and do a shade better in the FA cup. There's always the easier league games and the dead and easy Euro games. So yes, I can see all of them getting 20+ games providing they stay fit. Both Scholes & Giggs are just a goal or two away from 100 premiership goals so I'd love to see them join that exclusive club before they retire.
The Man frae Govan (19/06/2009 at 21:31)
A public forum is not the place to put these great servants down - I thought we were "United" - and we publicly shame our most successful players ever??
steve the wandering red manc, Australia (20/06/2009 at 02:43)
david the red, toronto (20/06/2009 at 05:45)
danny, WILMSLOW (20/06/2009 at 14:26)