Gary Pallister
Having joined Manchester United from Middlesbrough for £2.3m in 1989 - at the time the highest sum paid for a player between two British clubs - Pallister's stay at Old Trafford straddled both the pre-Premier League era and United's ascent to the very top of the English game.
It was his partnership with Steve Bruce at the heart of the defence which was the base for United to dominate the division, ending their 26-year wait for a top-flight title in 1993.
United went on to win four of the first five Premier League crowns, with Pallister heavily involved in each campaign before returning to Middlesbrough in 1998.
The former England international also won three FA Cups and the League Cup during his time at Old Trafford, in all making 317 league appearances and scoring 12 goals.
Those included some vital goals too, with a brace against Liverpool helping to fire United to the title in 1997 and goals in an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace sending the club into the 1995 final.