Ryan Giggs - scores in 23 consecutive top flight seasons

[corneli_blue]

Has this ever been done before?

I can only think of 2 possible contenders - Billy Meredith and Stanley Matthews.....

But I think Meredith was banned at one point in his career and I know Matthews played at least 1 season in Division 2 (I saw him play for Stoke against Cardiff City in 1962-63). Wars also affected both players, but I'd personally count 1914-15 and 1919-20 as consecutive seasons, and also 1938-39 and 1946-47 also.

[Dorking]

Palace striker Kevin Phillips (age 39) has 20 consecutive seasons (but not all top flight) and is still going, but has talked about retiring at the end of this season (even though he only scored last week and there is nothing 'wrong' with him!). Still not bad though

[flashhat]

Titus Bramble?
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[seand]

Not too many have played 23 consecutive seasons, never mind scored! This question comes up annually, and the Guardian's wonderful The Knowledge feature covered it a while ago, identifying a couple of other 20 season scorers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/sep/16/manchester-united-rosenborg

Romario is given credit for scoring in 23 straight seasons for various clubs. I reckon Irish League legend Glenn Ferguson might pip them both though. He was active 24 seasons from 87-8 to 2010-11 and prolific.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Ferguson

[seand]

Incidentally Glentoran's Fred Roberts may well challenge Lionel Messi's record for goals in a year / season. He managed 95 in a season in 1930-31.

[mancitymark]

Unlikely it will ever be matched again - I remember being at his debut when he tried to claim the goal in a 1-0 City defeat which clearly came off Colin Hendry

[manchesterunitedman1]

mancitymark wrote:

Unlikely it will ever be matched again - I remember being at his debut when he tried to claim the goal in a 1-0 City defeat which clearly came off Colin Hendry

Must make it even more Bitter that he was with City then changed his mind and went to sign for United and 23 years later you are attempting to make a snide remark about him-this is on a par with the other ridiculous remark you made about the gravestones the other day.
I would like to wager that he would never have stayed there all this time!