Cantona is King... but is he No1?
strikers. Surely alan Shearer gets one of the slots as the scorer of 260 Premier League goals, a record that sets him so far apart from the rest. The second most prolific goalscorer is andy Cole, some 73 goals behind.
But then who partners Super al? Dennis Bergkamp, Henry or gianfranco Zola? What about Rooney, Ruud van nistelrooy and eric Cantona.
The one thing the exercise highlights is what a brilliant 20 seasons it has been. So many great sides, so many great players, so many wonderful memories.
What would be the match of the 20 seasons? Liverpool’s 4-3 defeat of newcastle in april 1996? Or arsenal’s 4-4 draw with Tottenham in October 2008?
Try picking a goal of the 20 seasons. Tony Yeboah against Liverpool in august 1995 or David Beckham against Wimbledon a year later?
It’s worth noting that the most famous footballer on the planet is not on the 10-man shortlist for the Player of the 20 seasons. nor for that matter is the one-time winner i of f th the Ballon B ll d’or, d’o mi michael h l Owen, or Rooney and Lampard.
But then look at the list and try erasing one of those names and replacing them with one of the above. Personally I might have axed Zola for a Rooney or a Lampard but compiling these lists has been a voting process that has extended to all national newspapers and Premier League media rights holders.
now it’s over to you to vote in five other categories — best goal, match, save, goal celebration and, probably most difficult, fantasy XI. Try to stay calm.
m.lawton@dailymail.co.uk